This week, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine published a list of beneficiaries of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) direct payments in the Republic of Ireland for 2020.

The department is obliged, by EU regulations, to publish a list of all beneficiaries of CAP funding – once they receive more than €1,250 – by the end of May each year.

Earlier today (Monday, May 31), Agriland outlined the top 10 direct payments beneficiaries for last year. But who received the highest payment in each county?

Starting off with Munster, Brendan Kelleher from Co. Cork received the highest direct payment in the province in 2020, amounting to €245,626.91. This was also the highest value of direct payments made to a single recipient across the country in 2020.

Co. Cork was also the location of two other beneficiaries who featured on the top 10 list.

Turning next to Leinster, six beneficiaries in the eastern province were accounted for on the top 10 highest recipients of direct payments nationwide in 2020.

O'Shea Farms Unlimited in Co. Kilkenny had the second highest direct payment allocation in the country after Kelleher, amounting to €222,646.95 - the highest payment in the province.

Looking next to Connacht, Galway farmer Hans Weirner Meis received the highest direct payment in the western province with a payment of €191,912.08 - the sole Connacht entry on the top 10 list.

Finally, turning to the three Ulster counties in the Republic of Ireland, Cavan-based farm enterprise B&L Farms (Unlimited) received a total of €159,232.07 - the highest in the province.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, Desmond Mallon received the highest direct payment last year of €29,973.98.