Buttimer family named winners of the Carbery Milk Awards
Overall winners Darren and Caroline Buttimer at the Carbery Milk Quality Awards in the Fernhill Hotel, Clonakilty, November 19.
Darren Buttimer and family have been announced as the overall winners of the 2025 Carbery Milk Quality and Sustainability Awards.
The awards are an opportunity for Carbery to recognise the dedication of their farmer shareholders and their commitment to achieving the highest standards in milk quality and sustainability.
The Buttimer family supply the Lisavaird Co-op, and the farm is located just 5km outside Clonakilty. The farm has been in the Buttimer family since the 1960s.
Mr Buttimer joined the partnership with his father in the early 2000s and took over the farm fully in 2007/08. Today, Mr Buttimer farms 240 acres alongside his wife, Caroline, their four kids, Mathew, Rachel, Leah, and Hannah and a full-time farm manager.
Talking about his approach to farming, Mr Buttimer said: “It’s a great quality of life. There are two busy seasons, once calving and silage are done, things ease up and you can take time off.”
Last year, Carbery’s farmer shareholders led in sustainability and quality, with 93% of Carbery’s milk pool coming from farmers participating in the Carbery FutureProof sustainability bonus. On-farm emissions fell by a further 1.56%, reflecting the innovation and commitment of West Cork’s farming families.
Carbery CEO, Jason Hawkins, said of the finalists: "As we mark 21 years of celebrating our farmer shareholders with these awards, it’s clear that their resilience and innovation have never been more important. The dairy industry continues to face challenges — from creating a more sustainable future to market volatility — yet our farmers consistently rise to meet them.
"In the Buttimers, and in all of this year’s finalists, we see a steadfast commitment to quality, respect for the land, and a shared ambition to leave the industry stronger for the next generation.”
The judges for this year’s competition, Barry Ryan, Carbery Quality Manager; Don Crowley, Teagasc West Cork; and Darragh O’Donovan, Carbery Farm Sustainability Manager, noted the high standard on all farms and the consistency applied to achieving high-quality milk production.
Other finalists came from across the four West Cork co-ops, with each co-op having three farming family finalists and one co-op winner each from the Drinagh Co-op, Barryroe Co-op, Bandon Co-op and Lisvard Co-op.
Finalists from Drinagh included: the Cullinane Family Farm, Kealkil, Bantry, the Hill Family Farm, Clounties, Leap and the Drinagh winners, the O’Donoghue Family Farm, Maultahrane, Leap.
Finalists from Barryroe included: the Roche Family Farm, Ballinspittle, Kinsale, the Galvin Family Farm, Knockgorm, Kinsale, and the winners for their co-op, the Kirby Family Farm, Ballinascarthy.
Bandon Co-op saw the Kelleher Family farm, from Tullyland Bandon, taking first prize with the Crowley Family Farm, Ardkitt, Ballineen, and the Jennings Family Farm, Cashelbeg, Enniskeane as the other finalists.
Lisavaird saw the Buttimer family scooping Lisavaird and overall winner with the Crowley Family Farm, from Hollyhill, Ballineen, and the Lisavaird Farm — Darragh Kennedy and family, Kippagh, Dunmanway, as finalists for the co-op.
Carbery Group Chairman, Vincent O’Donovan, added: “What makes these awards so special is the sense of pride and community they embody. Each year, we see the dedication and care that our farmers bring to their livelihoods.
"For more than two decades, these awards have recognised that commitment — the families who uphold the highest standards of quality and stewardship of the land. Their spirit and resilience continue to sustain rural life in West Cork, and we are proud to honour that contribution.”
