Farming columnist - Paula Hynes

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#Farming columnist - Paula Hynes

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>It is hard for the consumer or public to comprehend just how much pressure farmers are under at the moment, but 2026 has been an extremely difficult year, writes Aherla dairy farmer and Irish Examiner columnist Paula Hynes. Picture: Denis Minihane</p>

farming

Paula Hynes: From parched paddocks to the final shows of summer

The dry weather is putting farmers under immense pressure, with the extra workload every day of feeding what is realistically a winter diet, writes Aherla dairy farmer and Irish Examiner columnist Paula Hynes

<p>Coolroehouse Abbott Ann, senior champion cow and overall champion Holstein at the FBD National Livestock Show owned by Paul Murphy and Emma Behan of Hillholm Holsteins</p>

farming

Ann owns the show ring at Tullamore

<p>Wildfires on lands across Europe are now commonplace. </p>

farming

Paula Hynes: Farming's extreme challenge: drought, wildfires, and policy's unintended consequences

Paula Hynes 2 (1)

Paula Hynes: Different dairy systems deserve understanding — not criticism

Paula Hynes 2 (1)

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

Paula Hynes 2 (1)

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

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

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

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

John Deere 6920 Tractor and Mower cutting Grass for Silage on a Farm in the UK

Paula Hynes: First-cut silage completed despite challenging weather

I take my hat off to contractors and silage crews. The weather has been so challenging this year so far, and when it does come good, they get through a huge amount of work in a short space of time

Tue, 02 Jun, 2026

Paula Hynes: A year of much progression

Paula Hynes: A year of much progression

The Midleton Show was a successful day for the team and now we look forward to Belgooly

Tue, 26 May, 2026

Buying meat at a supermarket.

Paula Hynes: The heat is coming on Brazilian beef

Brazilian beef is back in the headlines, but it looks like it will be coming off the menus in the EU, writes Cork dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Mon, 18 May, 2026

Paula Hynes: YMA — much more than just showing calves

Paula Hynes: YMA — much more than just showing calves

We might be a few weeks away from silage season here, however, breeding season is progressing well and we are seeing plenty of heats every day.

Mon, 11 May, 2026

Paula Hynes: The lazy cow that eventually gave birth to Lucky

Paula Hynes: The lazy cow that eventually gave birth to Lucky

Dairy farmers see so many cows calving that they learn to figure out a cow calving fairly quickly — too much or too little intervention can very quickly be a matter of life and death, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes.

Mon, 04 May, 2026

Paula Hynes: Turning a summer dream into a reality

Paula Hynes: Turning a summer dream into a reality

We laughed, got a little teary-eyed and what was such a simple moment was turned into the most magical of celebrations, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Mon, 27 Apr, 2026

Paula Hynes: Pride, perseverance and partnership — celebrating 25 years with a global win

Paula Hynes: Pride, perseverance and partnership — celebrating 25 years with a global win

Becky's success Down Under kicked off a perfect week capped by our 25th wedding anniversary

Sun, 19 Apr, 2026

Paula Hynes: Our farm's secret to fantastic maiden heifers

Paula Hynes: Our farm's secret to fantastic maiden heifers

Housing through summer with a consistent diet transformed their thrive, boosting future herd performance and AI success

Tue, 31 Mar, 2026

Paula Hynes: We are all paying the price for a war we didn't want

Paula Hynes: We are all paying the price for a war we didn't want

Nobody wanted this war in the Middle East, yet we are all getting sucked into it, writes Paula Hynes

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

Paula Hynes: More than a sale ring — the mart is a rural engine

Paula Hynes: More than a sale ring — the mart is a rural engine

The workload is at its maximum now, writes Paula Hynes

Mon, 02 Mar, 2026

Paula Hynes: You win some, and lose some

Paula Hynes: You win some, and lose some

Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes shares her thoughts on resilience in the yard as she reflects on twelve years TB-free and a calf that defied the odds

Mon, 23 Feb, 2026

Bord Bia

Paula Hynes: There's no point in discrediting our national storyteller

If Brazilian farmers were anything like Ryanair, they would be thriving on the amount of coverage their beef is getting in Ireland, from the perspective that there is no such thing as bad news, writes Cork dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

Paula Hynes: Traceability and a record-breaking DNA programme make Irish agri-food stand out

Paula Hynes: Traceability and a record-breaking DNA programme make Irish agri-food stand out

There is so much talk about food traceability at the moment, and Ireland really is a step ahead when it comes to the traceability of cattle, as we will most likely be the first country in the world to have a fully DNA-tested national herd

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Paula Hynes: What advice would I give a 20-year-old wanting to farm?

Paula Hynes: What advice would I give a 20-year-old wanting to farm?

It's been a truly international week for Paula and the gang on the farm in Aherla — and beyond

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Paula Hynes: Celebrating a calf poo

Paula Hynes: Celebrating a calf poo

There is a saying in farming that where there is livestock, there is dead stock. Sometimes animals die, and we as farmers feel they shouldn’t have, but when we come across an animal like little Pat, which is fighting to survive, we give it our best shot and give it all the help in the world.

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Paula Hynes: Snowy roads, new calves and the on farm challenge

Paula Hynes: Snowy roads, new calves and the on farm challenge

Danske Bank are the main sponsors of the RUAS Winter Fair, so when livestock classes were cancelled at the show due to the bluetongue outbreak in Northern Ireland, it was fantastic to see them step up for the on farm challenge, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Tue, 06 Jan, 2026

Claims historic double showmanship win at International Dairy Week

Claims historic double showmanship win at International Dairy Week

Becky achieved a significant victory at International Dairy Week, winning her intermediate showmanship class for the third time and becoming the inaugural Showmanship Grand Champion.

Mon, 29 Dec, 2025

Paula Hynes: A Parisian Christmas amid France's farmer protests

Paula Hynes: A Parisian Christmas amid France's farmer protests

The passion and flair the French have for food means they are very accepting of seeing their farmers protest, writes Cork dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Tue, 16 Dec, 2025

Bluetongue outbreak

Paula Hynes: We need to use common sense when it comes to bluetongue

We must not be sucked into conspiracy theories, we need to be vigilant

Mon, 08 Dec, 2025

Paula Hynes: The North's bluetongue scare has given us a dose of the Winter Fair blues

Paula Hynes: The North's bluetongue scare has given us a dose of the Winter Fair blues

Unfortunately, the bah-humbug of Christmas show spirit has come in the form of two suspected cases of Bluetongue in Northern Ireland, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Mon, 01 Dec, 2025

Road transport. Lorry carrying liquid products traveling on the motorway.

Paula Hynes: It’s time to decide — volume game or value game for Irish dairy?

Dairy production globally is a volume game anyway. But if we adapt our cow type on farm, then so too do our dairy processors need to adapt, writes Cork dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Wed, 26 Nov, 2025

Paula Hynes: The menopause can be like the worst storm

Paula Hynes: The menopause can be like the worst storm

Menopause can a huge challenge for women so it is important to seek medical advice and support as I did, and find out what works for you

Tue, 18 Nov, 2025

Paula Hynes: 15 years in Irish dairy farming

Paula Hynes: 15 years in Irish dairy farming

Imagine if you stood up at a farm walk 15 years ago and said beef prices would hit €8 a kilo in 2025 and the cost of producing a litre of milk from grass would rise to 42 cent and the EU would look to reduce dairy herds 10 years after allowing them to expand

Thu, 13 Nov, 2025

Paula Hynes: The day our daughter took a calf to school

Paula Hynes: The day our daughter took a calf to school

Georgie had a chance to share her passion for dairy showing at school with Kalani before the mid-term break, while Paula got ready for holidays, farmer-style

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

Paula Hynes: Will we see any recovery in milk prices?

Paula Hynes: Will we see any recovery in milk prices?

Currently, the best-case scenario is that base price for milk might settle in the mid 30c region

Wed, 29 Oct, 2025

Paula Hynes: Rivers running free as Storm Amy hits

Paula Hynes: Rivers running free as Storm Amy hits

It was a miserable 48 hours as the rain returned with a bang during storm Amy

Sun, 05 Oct, 2025

Paula Hynes: The people in our overworked health system deserve a lot of praise

Paula Hynes: The people in our overworked health system deserve a lot of praise

Paula Hynes thanks the dedicated, highly skilled people who looked after her while she undertook tests in hospital last week and looks forward to Millstreet

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: A new arrival at the Dairy Show

Paula Hynes: A new arrival at the Dairy Show

Last weekend we attended the AXA National Dairy Show in Millstreet and with a big team entered, there was lots of help required so the dream team were back to work with us.

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Maize season makes me wish our contractor had airplanes

Paula Hynes: Maize season makes me wish our contractor had airplanes

While I'm glad Ryanair was not given the task of planting and harvesting our maize, given the delayed flights we have recently experienced, I know our contractors CCS would have as usual given an efficient service

Mon, 22 Sep, 2025

Thanks to all the volunteers at Inniscarra

Thanks to all the volunteers at Inniscarra

Farming is like a merry-go-round, with baby calves on the farm again. Autumn breeding season is just around the corner, and it is hard to believe we will be breeding the show heifers soon, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Mon, 15 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Black pudding in Cork and Belgium

Paula Hynes: Black pudding in Cork and Belgium

Kasey’s dam calved with a lovely heifer calf by Vierra Sting. It’s our second Sting heifer calf this autumn, and we also had a Chocochip heifer calve with a Blondin Classic heifer calf

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Lights, camera, action - 'My Story, Georgie' hits the screens

Paula Hynes: Lights, camera, action - 'My Story, Georgie' hits the screens

When you're filming real life, and especially with animals involved, you can’t really do a take two, writes Paula Hynes

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Proud to be at the cow version of the Rose of Tralee

Paula Hynes: Proud to be at the cow version of the Rose of Tralee

Our brilliant week started off with us becoming grandparents before preparing for the Virginia Show, writes Paula Hynes

Wed, 27 Aug, 2025

Paula Hynes: I'm on an Azores high amid this busy show season

Paula Hynes: I'm on an Azores high amid this busy show season

In the middle of a busy show schedule — including Cavan this week and Inniscarra later this month — Paula enjoyed a visit from farmers working in Portugal's Azores Islands

Wed, 20 Aug, 2025

Paula Hynes: We are simply a showing family

Paula Hynes: We are simply a showing family

We take one show at a time, we discuss show teams as a team, and decide who travels and who needs a rest. The close friends we have made, we compete against each other in the ring, but outside the ring, we are a show family, and we’ve got each other's backs

Wed, 13 Aug, 2025

Paula Hynes: A-maizing maize and genetics insights

Paula Hynes: A-maizing maize and genetics insights

Do you know who cloned the first horse, or who revolutionised the global dairy breeding industry through sexed semen? Paula Hynes explains where you can find the answers

Wed, 06 Aug, 2025

Paula Hynes: The championship of dreams - and it's not the hurling

Paula Hynes: The championship of dreams - and it's not the hurling

A championship we had only dreamed of winning had now become a reality, as Rouge sizzles at National YMA Finals

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

Paula Hynes: Do you have a beef with the cost of living?

Paula Hynes: Do you have a beef with the cost of living?

The next time you hear a politician or an MEP saying they have got your back, ask them what their stance on EU food security is, writes Aherla dairy farmer Paula Hynes

Fri, 18 Jul, 2025

Paula Hynes: A truly great Yorkshire show

Paula Hynes: A truly great Yorkshire show

A successful show for Georgie and making memories that will last a lifetime

Mon, 14 Jul, 2025

Paula Hynes: A presidential visit to Charleville Show

Paula Hynes: A presidential visit to Charleville Show

A hectic show life makes for a hectic farm life, as there is always work to catch up on, writes Paula Hynes

Thu, 03 Jul, 2025

Paula Hynes: The Royal Highland, a field evening and a farmyard loss

Paula Hynes: The Royal Highland, a field evening and a farmyard loss

It is always great to experience overseas shows, but the days are long so the trips are far from a holiday, writes Paula Hynes

Mon, 30 Jun, 2025