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FARMING - COLUMNS

A collection of the latest columns, analysis and opinion from the farming desk. Enjoy.

Brian Reidy

Denis Lehane, Lighten Up

Kieran Coughlan, Farm Finance

Paula Hynes, Hoofing It

<p>A sworn Affidavit is then prepared, typically by a solicitor. This document confirms the identity of the deceased, verifies that they are the same person referred to in the title, sets out the date of death and states that the right in question was personal and has now ceased. </p>

farming

Ask a solicitor: What should I do when a right of residence remains on the title?

This situation arises quite frequently, particularly where land has been passed down through generations with provisions made for parents or other family members.

<p>With the fine weather showing no signs of letting up, and with drinking water only available to thirsty cows and infants, something proactive has to be done, writes our Auld Lehane.</p>

farming

Lighten Up: Brewery doors must be swung open to deal with the summer thirst

<p>Poor fermentation, damaged plastic and crop contamination can all contribute to mould and waste in bale silage. Brian Reidy outlines the main causes and practical steps farmers can take to reduce losses.</p>

farming

Brian Reidy: Why bale silage goes mouldy — and how to prevent it

Paula Hynes 2 (1)

Paula Hynes: Different dairy systems deserve understanding — not criticism

Staying connected on the farm via mobile network

farming

Ask a solicitor: Getting a farm transfer right from the start

pouring martinis

farming

Lighten Up: Teagasc survey makes us cattle farmers look like playboys!

Weekly supermarket shopping

Britain's grocery squeeze is tightening on Irish food exports

In 2025, the UK remained Ireland’s largest single export destination, with export values rising by 14% to €6.7bn, representing 35% of Irish food and drink exports

Wed, 15 Jul, 2026

Lighten Up: Fields of Skibbereen beat the gardens of New York any day

Lighten Up: Fields of Skibbereen beat the gardens of New York any day

Our Auld Lehane's plans to launch his book in the Big Apple almost ended in disaster, in this week's Lighten Up

Wed, 15 Jul, 2026

Paula Hynes: 37°C on the farm and a stellar day at Cedarmore

Paula Hynes: 37°C on the farm and a stellar day at Cedarmore

The soaring temperatures made work on the farm difficult this week, with temperatures reaching 30°C in shaded parts of the yard and as high as 37°C in direct sunshine, writes Paula Hynes.

Wed, 15 Jul, 2026

Agricultural slurry spreading in a field in England, United Kingdom

Kieran Coughlan: Despite years of change, where are the water quality gains?

At farm level, there is a mismatch between the efforts farmers are making, the underlying logic behind those changes and the results on water quality, writes Cork dairy farmer and rural tax specialist Kieran Coughlan.

Sat, 11 Jul, 2026

US-ENTERTAINMENT-MUSIC-NFL-SWIFT-KELCE

Lighten Up: Taylor Swift's wedding, almost as good as Puck Fair

Attending Taylor Swift's wedding in New York, was almost as exciting as spending the weekend back at Puck, writes our Auld Lehane

Wed, 08 Jul, 2026

Fourth of July BBQ food spread on picnic table

Farm View: America’s beef warning should not be ignored

From a peak of nearly 80 million head in 2016, the EU's total herd dropped to roughly 72 million at the end of 2024, writes Stephen Cadogan

Wed, 08 Jul, 2026

Dry grass stems with farmland field and winter woodland landscape

Brian Reidy: Keeping herds performing through summer grass deficit

As we all know, June and July are difficult months to manage grass in normal conditions, never mind when the crop comes under the heat and moisture deficit stress, like it is now, writes ruminant nutritionist Brian Reidy

Wed, 08 Jul, 2026

Farmer standing in wheat field

S Ask a solicitor: Making a will where there is no clear successor

Avoiding decisions regarding wills and estates can create problems, writes rural solicitor Deirdre Rafferty

Tue, 07 Jul, 2026

Paula Hynes: Hard work delivers as Team Hynes heads for the Nationals

Paula Hynes: Hard work delivers as Team Hynes heads for the Nationals

The very best show calves have the deepest pedigrees, combined with a little bit of luck, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Mon, 06 Jul, 2026

Comforting hand supporting the old man

Ask a solicitor: When can a will be challenged for lack of capacity?

Dementia does not automatically mean lack of capacity, writes rural solicitor Alex Krupa

Mon, 06 Jul, 2026

Denis makes the most of the weather on his calf-to-beef farm

Denis makes the most of the weather on his calf-to-beef farm

It isn't every year that the weather allows you to make hay

Fri, 03 Jul, 2026

Grass fed beef cattle steers being loaded from stock yard onto truck

Why Australia, not Brazil, may be Irish beef's biggest threat

Historically, Ireland supplied nearly 80% of UK beef imports. But after the UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreements, and growth in Brazilian imports, Ireland’s market share fell to 67% in 2025

Wed, 01 Jul, 2026

Golden Hour Corn Harvest

Now is the time to get ahead with your winter feed budget

The harvest of wholecrop cereals will start soon and crops are pretty variable, as some were significantly affected by late drilling and all of the wet weather, writes ruminant nutritionist Brian Reidy.

Tue, 30 Jun, 2026

Wind power

Ask a solicitor: Considering a wind turbine on your land?

While wind turbines are often associated with more marginal or boggy ground, this is not always the case, and it is becoming more common for developers to target land that is actively farmed or includes forestry, writes rural solicitor Jane Bourke.

Tue, 30 Jun, 2026

Reaping the rewards of planning in 'snatch and grab' silage season

Reaping the rewards of planning in 'snatch and grab' silage season

A trip to Brussels for an international award is the icing on the cake as Cork organic farmer Kay O'Sullivan writes this month's Farming Examiner column.

Tue, 30 Jun, 2026

Tesla Cybertruck display at a dealership. Tesla offers the Cybertruck with driving range of up to 334 miles. MY:2025

Lighten Up: Dear Elon, any chance of a loan?

For while he knows all the tricks of the farming trade, the trick of making money out of cattle is the one trick that eludes our Denis, so he has gone to trillionaire Elon Musk for advice

Mon, 29 Jun, 2026

Paula Hynes: When good things happen to good people

Paula Hynes: When good things happen to good people

There was a well-deserved champion in the dairy ring at Charleville Show at the weekend, writes Paula Hynes

Mon, 29 Jun, 2026

Small crop circle in a wheat field in Dorset

Lighten Up: Alien encounters on the farm

Auld Lehane's alien encounters could well be a case for the Mulder and Scully

Sun, 28 Jun, 2026

Paula Hynes: From paddock to showring - the Cork Summer Show was a week to remember

Paula Hynes: From paddock to showring - the Cork Summer Show was a week to remember

Cork Summer Show is our local show and we have always enjoyed exhibiting dairy animals there, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Tue, 23 Jun, 2026

a farmer installs a fence for his cows

Brian Reidy: Feeding cows now that grass growth has improved

Grass is the major forage for dairy herds in Ireland, and we all agree that it is the cheapest source of feed, so its potential should be maximised, writes ruminant nutritionist Brian Reidy.

Mon, 22 Jun, 2026

Pipework deep under street level

Ask a solicitor: Should I sign the energy company's option agreement?

An option to grant an easement gives the developer the right, but not the obligation, to require you, at a later date, to enter into a binding easement deed

Mon, 22 Jun, 2026

The red fox, Vulpes vulpes, in the waterlogged autumn taiga, Finland

Paula Hynes: Something a little bit different in our silage fields

Last Sunday evening, Pete noticed something a little different on the silage field behind our heifer barn, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Wed, 10 Jun, 2026

Farmer with Cattle in a Working Farm Yard

Stephen Cadogan: Europe is finally catching up with Ireland on farm relief

Only a handful of European countries currently offer a farm relief service that allows farmers to step away from their responsibilities when necessary

Tue, 09 Jun, 2026

Bricklayer laying another brick in the wall on construction site for sturdy wall

Building on a gifted site? Here are the key legal and tax rules

Building on a gifted site? There are several key legal and tax considerations you need to know about.

Tue, 09 Jun, 2026

Denis Lehane: Relax, it's only the Leaving Cert

Denis Lehane: Relax, it's only the Leaving Cert

Some of us are a long way from the world of rocket science, but we get by just as happy, or happier maybe, in many cases, writes our Auld Lehane in this week's Lighten Up.

Thu, 04 Jun, 2026

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