With the annual Burren Winterage Weekend just around the corner, one farmer is well prepared for the traditional moving of the cattle to upland areas.
John Marrinan is a participant farmer in the Burren Programme in Co. Clare. Three quarters of his 338ac farm that we visited is winterage for his cattle – which will soon be put to good use.
In a couple of weeks’ time, John will move 50 suckler cows up to the hills – in contrast to farmers in most other regions.
Originally joining the Burren Farming for Conservation Programme – as it was at the time – back in 2010, John has no regrets.
It has been the single most brilliant scheme that has ever come the way for me; it has made serious, serious changes here to the farm.
“Really and truly there was a lot of work to be done on this farm as my uncle never really participated in any of the schemes back along through the years – REPS or other environmental schemes – so we pretty much had it all to do.
“We have improved water courses here on the farm which is a great environmental benefit to me and to everybody else, and to the cattle as well.
“We keep the cattle out of the water courses; pipe water to troughs which are funded by the Burren Programme. Dr. Brendan Dunford of course, and Dr. Sharon Parr are heading the programme up here in Carran.
It’s just a brilliant, brilliant scheme; we’re so proud and happy to be in it. It has made farming very interesting and exciting; these are exciting times that we’re living in for the moment.
“We’re creating plots back on the farm, which is making the farm a lot more easier to herd. We come along as I say on November 1 with our cows, and we put them in different plots; each plot is a different size, a different quality.”
The Carran farmer highlighted the importance of grazing the vegetation down properly, noting that a scoring system is in place to ensure adequate clearance for local flora and fauna to thrive.
Asked about the future of farming in the region, John highlighted that getting younger people to farm in the Burren is challenging.
“You’ve got to be cut out for it; it’s as simple as that. You’ve got to be cut out for it – it has to be in your bones; your DNA. But I love it; I wouldn’t be at anything else.”