Cattle check-in at Shannon Airport to graze the land in novel project

SHANNON Airport allowed around 1,000 bales of silage to be made on its land to help farmers in the midst of a fodder crisis in 2018.

Fast forward seven years and cattle are now grazing directly on the airport’s land.

In a landmark move ahead of National Biodiversity Week, the Shannon Airport Group has successfully completed the initial phase of its Farmland Biodiversity Enhancement Project. It marks the first use of grazing cattle on airport owned land in Ireland.

Located at Thady’s Hill, this 10-acre site near Shannon Airport is one of the most ecologically significant areas across the Shannon Airport Group lands. 

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Led by the Shannon Airport Group Biodiversity Team and supported by local farmer John Quinlivan and botanist Phoebe O’Brien, this project is already making strides in restoring and protecting the rare habitat of Thady’s Hill and its unique plant species.

Sinead Murphy, head of sustainability at the Shannon Airport Group, stated: “This project not only demonstrates our commitment to protect and enhance biodiversity through the restoration and management of an ecologically important site, but also highlights the power of collaboration.” 

She continued: “We are grateful to all stakeholders, including John Quinlivan and Phoebe O’Brien, for their expertise and dedication, as well as to our sustainability specialist Arek Gdulinski and all the wider Shannon Airport Group teams involved. We look forward to the next phase of this important project.”

Thady’s Hill hosts a habitat of national and international importance, including rare and endangered species of native grasses and flowers such as Bee and Pyramidal Orchids.

After scrub clearance in early 2024 by a team from Shannon Airport, traditional Droimeann cattle, recently recognised as a native rare breed in Ireland, were introduced for conservation grazing during the non-growing season. 

These cattle are ideal for the sensitive habitat due to their ability to thrive on rough pastures and their minimal impact on soil compaction.

The next phase of the project involves collaboration with Meg Brennan, of Polliknow, a new company which has developed devices using advanced sensors and computer vision to monitor wild insect pollinators, key indicators of ecosystem health. 

This initiative is part of the group’s wider 2023-2027 Biodiversity Action Plan and was developed with the support of Flynn Furney Environmental Consultants.

National Biodiversity Week 2025 runs from this Friday, May 16 to Sunday, May 25.