Bóthar founder steps down after 20 years

THE founder of one of Ireland’s most successful charities, livestock aid organisation Bóthar, has announced his retirement as chief exec-utive after 20 years in the post.

Peter Ireton, 59, will retire this week after developing the organisation into a charity with a yearly turnover of €10 million.

Bóthar grew from an original concept as a one-off gesture of sending an airlift of cows to Africa to mark Limerick Treaty 300 celebrations in 1991.

Today, with a staff of 25-30 in Ireland and five abroad, and its partnerships with similar organisations based in five countries, Bóthar delivers livestock across 35 countries that lifts 5,000 families out of dest-itution every year.

In addition to gifting livestock ranging from Irish cows and goats to camels, water buffalo and even bees, Bóthar’s main focus is training and educating recipient families on how to receive and look after their food-and-income producing animal.

According to Bóthar it is these methods of training, animal husbandry and the ‘passing on’ of the first female offspring that provides a sustainable solution to helping a family lift themselves out of poverty permanently.

While stepping back from the organisation he founded, Limerick man Mr Ireton will continue to work at a reduced level as director of strategy for Bóthar. His replacement will be announced in the coming weeks.

Announcing his retirement last night, Mr Ireton said: “Little did I know that what started out as a one-off project with the late TJ Maher back in 1991 would grow into a charity that works in 35 countries today. I am quite happy, however, to be stepping down as chief executive as I believe that it’s time for new blood and a new vision for the organisation.

“Generally I think the need for new blood applies to many charities today; there is a need for new thinking. New people bring new ideas and that is where the focus should be in these challenging times.”

Mr Ireton said charity organ-isations need to address the issue of duplication, where one or more charities end up trying to deliver the same project into the same communities.

“We have been lucky through our international partnerships that we have been able to work successfully in partnership with similar organisations. Everyone knows what everyone else is doing and we spread the load better that way,” he said.

Extending his appreciation on behalf of the organisation to Mr Ireton, Bóthar chairman John Finucane said there are tens of thousands of families across the globe who are living testament to the work he has achieved.

“He almost single-handedly took Bóthar from a once-off event to become the second largest organisation in the world involved in livestock aid,” Mr Finucane said.