Teagasc has appointed new regional advisory managers for Tipperary and Galway/Clare.

Padraig Fitzgerald has been appointed as Teagasc regional advisory manager in Tipperary, while Enda Geoghegan has been appointed as regional manager in Galway/Clare.

The appointments were approved at the Teagasc Authority meeting on Wednesday, October 7.

They will lead the Teagasc teams in the respective regions, delivering advisory services to farmers and educational courses through the advisory offices. 

Padraig Fitzgerald graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) with a degree in agricultural science.

He holds a post-graduate diploma in leadership development programme and holds a post-graduate diploma in freshwater quality monitoring and assessment, both from University College Cork.He is currently working as a sustainability adviser with the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) based in Kilmallock, Co. Limerick.

Previously he worked as a dairy and drystock adviser in both Co. Limerick and Co. Kerry.

In his early career he worked as a Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) planner, having joined Teagasc in 2004. 

Enda Geoghegan graduated with a degree in agri-business and rural development from UCD.

He went on to earn a master’s degree in rural environmental conservation and management, also at UCD.

Geoghegan holds a postgraduate diploma in leadership development programme from UCC. From a beef farming background in Mullingar in Co. Westmeath, Geoghegan started working for Teagasc as a REPS planner in Crossmolina in 2001.

He is currently a climate change and sustainability adviser based in Teagasc Ballina. Before that he was a drystock adviser in Co. Mayo. 

'Wealth of experience'

Congratulating the two men on their appointments, head of the Teagasc Advisory Service, Thomas Curran said: “I look forward to working with Enda and Padraig as part of the management team in the advisory programme.

The vacancies arose following the retirements of Donal Mullane and Pat Clarke.

Donal Mullane worked as an adviser before he was principal in Clonakilty Agricultural College.

He was then appointed as manager of the Tipperary Advisory region. Pat Clarke had worked as a lecturer in Kildalton Agricultural College before becoming an enterprise specialist in Teagasc.

He was then appointed manager of the Galway/Clare advisory region. Curran thanked both Mullane and Clarke for their contribution to Teagasc, both in advisory and education, during what he called their "long and distinguished careers".