How an Irish beef farmer built a thriving snail farm

Inis Escargot not only breeds and sells snails, but also teaches other would-be farmers how to start a similar business.

Peter Monaghan of Inis Escargot in Cavan. “Snail farming produces a huge amount of product from a small piece of land and Ireland is the ideal location for this type of business.”

Like many a small rural farmer, Peter Monaghan was looking for an additional income source to bolster his revenue. Based in Maghera, Co. Cavan, he investigated a number of enterprises before settling on what might have seemed an unlikely choice — a snail farm. 

Passionate about working the land, Peter recognised that his small suckler farm would not create a viable income on its own. He eventually decided that snail farming was a business worth trying — especially given the twin attractions of a relatively low initial investment and catering to an obvious gap in the market.