Milk producers chairman discusses ‘drastic collapse’ of milk prices at Limerick dinner dance

CHAIRMAN of the Limerick and Clare Liquid Milk Producers, Michael O’Connor echoed Albert Einstein at their annual dinner dance in the Dunraven Arms on Friday night.

Einstein is believed to have said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

In his speech, Mr O’Connor  referred to liquid milk producers who calve cows for the winter in a bad price year like this one, himself included.

“I would not only be questioning their wisdom for doing so but at the price we are getting, maybe even their sanity!” said Mr O’Connor with a wry smile.

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Dinner dances aren’t as common as they once were but the organising committee work hard to ensure the milk producers’ annual event continues to be a fixture in the calendar.

Reflecting on 2025, Mr O’Connor said the year will be remembered for a lot of things.

“We had snow in January but in the main it was a good grass growing year. 

“Calves and beef prices hit record highs, so much so that calves you could not give away in the spring of 2024, you could hardly afford to buy them in late spring / early summer of 2025.

“Milk price was where it should have been for most of the year which left a margin over production but, alas, that has come to a sudden and drastic collapse with every month of late seeing a cut in price, and all we are promised is more to come but we live in hope,” said the Croagh dairy farmer.

2025 was also notable for being the first full year of business for Kerry Dairy Ireland after Kerry Co-op shareholders voted in favour of buying back the dairy processing assets of the Kerry Group in late 2024.

Pat Murphy, CEO of Kerry Dairy Ireland, and James Tangney, chairman of Kerry Co-op were both in attendance on the night.

Mr O’Connor said it’s now over 12 months since shareholders voted to buy back the business.

“For those that were lucky enough to visit the business in the north and in Ossett in England, all I can say was it’s fairly impressive what they do,” said Mr O'Connor.

In conclusion, he thanked all attendees, management and staff of the Dunraven Arms Hotel for a sumptuous meal, committee members for selling tickets and collecting spot prizes and to all those who gave a spot prize because “without them our night would not be such a success”.

His speech received warm applause from the large crowd in attendance and with that Mr O’Connor handed over to the band Heart and Soul - a very appropriate title for men and women working in the dairy industry - to entertain one and all.