Meet The Speakers 2026

Meet the Voices of the Festival

Our speakers include farmers, researchers and practitioners sharing real experiences from the field. From soil health and biodiversity to water quality and farm profitability, we will explore what it takes to farm productively with nature — what works and what doesn’t.

Through practical examples, open conversations and lessons learned, the programme highlights how farmers are tackling challenges and finding opportunities on their own farms.

🌿 More inspiring voices will be joining the line-up soon! We are working tirelessly to get all the individual pages ready so you can meet and discover every single one of our incredible speakers. Stay tuned!

Albert & Harry Nolan

Bat Enthusiast

Albert and Harry Nolan are bat conservation educators working with Bat Conservation Ireland to raise awareness about Ireland’s bat species and biodiversity. Through talks, walks and community events, they help connect people with nature and the importance of protecting habitats and wildlife across Ireland.

Birgit Braunstein

Winemaker & Farmer

Birgit is a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in Austria and an FFN Ambassador. An award-winning winemaker, she has received the Environmental Award of Burgenland for her commitment to sustainable agriculture and ecological balance. Through her vineyards she promotes regenerative farming.

Brendan Begley

Musician

Breanndán is one of Ireland’s most celebrated traditional musicians, known for his accordion playing, storytelling and deep connection to the culture and traditions of West Kerry. Raised in the Gaeltacht on the Dingle Peninsula, Brendan has spent decades sharing Irish music, language and culture with audiences around the world.

Darina Allen

Cookery School & Farmer

Darina is co-founder of the renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School and a Farming for Nature Ambassador. A leading voice in Ireland’s farm-to-table food movement, she champions local food, farmers’ markets and biodiversity on farms. Darina has written 21 cookbooks and continues to inspire generations of cooks and farmers.

David Walsh-Kemmis

Brewery Owner & Tillage Farmer

David is a farmer and brewery owner based at Ballykilcavan in Co. Laois, where his family has farmed for generations. Managing a mix of malting barley and forestry, he has diversified the farm by establishing Ballykilcavan Brewery. His work combines farming, sustainability and value-added enterprise.

Ella McSweeney

Broadcaster & Journalist

Ella is an award-winning Irish journalist covering food, farming and rural affairs. She presents RTÉ’s Ear to the Ground and contributes regularly to RTÉ Radio’s Countrywide. With a background in zoology and food policy, Ella brings a strong voice to conversations about sustainability and rural communities.

Gemma Tipton

Journalist

Gemma is a writer for The Irish Times covering art, culture and travel. Through her work, she explores the relationship between food, place, climate and culture, bringing thoughtful perspectives to conversations around food and farming.

Gypsy Gifford

Goat farmer & Cheese maker

Gypsy Gifford is a farmer and cheesemaker at Leitrim Hill Creamery, producing raw milk goat cheese and artisan ice cream. Through her small-scale, pasture-based project, she focuses on high animal welfare and traditional methods to build a sustainable local food culture.

Mick Kelly

Grower & Advocacy

Mick is the founder of GIY, an organic grower, author and TV presenter. A leading voice in the grow-your-own movement, he promotes sustainable food systems and a stronger connection between people and food through media, education and storytelling.

Mimi Crawford

Mixed Stock Farmer

Mimi is a Farming For Nature Ambassador and co-runs Crawford’s Farm in Co. Tipperary, managing a diverse organic farm built around regenerative and nature-led farming principles. She demonstrates how small farms can support biodiversity while remaining economically resilient.

Owen Murphy

Ecologist

Owen is a wildlife management consultant specialising in ornithology and the conservation of ground-nesting birds. He is Project Manager of the Breeding Wader EIP and Programme Director of the Midlands Mink Eradication Programme, where he works with conservation detection dog Lorg to help tackle invasive species.

Patrick Holden

Farmer & Conservationist

Patrick is a leading voice in sustainable agriculture and food systems, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust and long-time advocate for organic farming. Alongside farming in Wales, he has spent decades influencing policy, food standards and public conversations around sustainable food production.

Rod Calderpott

Orchard farmer

Rod is a Farming For Nature Ambassador and co-runs Highbank Farm in Co. Kilkenny, where organic orchards, biodiversity and artisan food production come together in a thriving farm enterprise rooted in nature-friendly farming.

Rob Coleman

Tillage farmer

Rob farms in North Cork alongside his father Billy and is current chairman of BASE Ireland. Through lower-input farming and regenerative approaches, Rob is working to build a more environmentally resilient future for Irish tillage farming.

Dr. Rupa Marya

Doctor & Researcher

Rupa is a physician and professor at the University of California, San Francisco, and currently a visiting professor at Trinity College Dublin where she established the programme Farming is Medicine. Her work explores how human health, food systems and planetary health are deeply interconnected through agroecological approaches.

Ruth Hegarty

Food Policy and Advocacy

Ruth is a food policy specialist and Director of Food Policy Ireland. With over two decades of experience, she works across food, farming and catering to support more resilient and sustainable food systems, bringing a strong voice to policy, research and public discussion.

Sean McGloin

Training & Advocacy

Sean is Network Manager of National Organic Training Skillnet (NOTS), Ireland’s leading training provider. For almost two decades, he has played a key role in developing farmer-led education, training and knowledge exchange around soil health, agroecology and resilient farming systems in Ireland.

Dr. Steve Collins

Doctor & Farmer

Steve is a medical doctor and nutrition expert, known for developing the community-based treatment for malnutrition now used worldwide as the gold standard. He now focuses on linking nutrition, agriculture and ecological farming at Derry Duff in West Cork.

Thomas O’Connor

Mixed Stock Farmer

Thomas is a FFN Ambassador and organic farmer based in Co. Kerry, where he and his wife Claire run a 25-acre mixed farm focused on local food production, biodiversity and healthy soils. Their farm integrates native woodland and permaculture systems to support biodiversity, healthy soils and community-based food production.

Andrew Bergin

Tillage Farmer

Andrew is a Farming for Nature Ambassador managing a 130-hectare arable farm focused on soil health and biological farming systems. With over 30 years of experience, he uses no-till establishment, cover crops and diverse rotations to strengthen soils, reduce chemical inputs and support biodiversity.

Anke Heydenreich

Finance & Conservationist

Anke works with ReFarm, an initiative supporting farmers to restore biodiversity across Ireland. After more than 25 years in finance and inspired by leading a large-scale native tree planting project in Wicklow, she shifted her focus to advancing nature restoration through practical, farmer-led solutions.

Barry O’ Donoghue

Agroecologist

Barry works with the National Parks & Wildlife Service and grew up farming in the Stack’s Mountains near Tralee. Known for his work on Hen Harriers, he has helped develop major conservation programmes supporting farmers and landowners to protect biodiversity

Brian Dilleen

Poultry & Vegetable Farmer

Brian runs Mad Yolk Farm in east Galway, a regenerative farm producing pasture-raised eggs and vegetables. Established in 2020, the farm integrates agroforestry, native woodland and community spaces, reflecting Brian’s commitment to local food and regenerative farming. Brian is a 2025/26 Farming for Nature Ambassador.

Bronagh Tesch

Beef Farmer

Bronagh runs Drumard Farm in Co. Tyrone, where she focuses on native breed cattle, sheep, and the restoration of soil health. Since taking over the family farm in 2020, she has transitioned to a chemical-free system, becoming a passionate advocate for biological soil amendments and resilient food systems.

Dr. Cheryl Poole

Dairy Farmer

Cheryl is a Farming for Nature Ambassador who runs Rose Bridge Farm near Gorey, Co. Wexford, balancing productive dairy farming with strong biodiversity measures. With over 20% of the farm dedicated to habitats, Cheryl is passionate about protecting water quality and creating space for wildlife within modern dairy systems.

Clive Bright

Beef Farmer

Clive is a Farming for Nature Ambassador who farms 120 acres of species-rich grassland in Co. Sligo, raising 100% pasture-fed organic livestock. Using holistic planned grazing and silvopasture systems, he works to restore ecological function while producing high-quality food. Alongside farming, Clive is also an illustrator and designer inspired by nature.

Donal Sheehan

Dairy Farmer

Donal is a Farming for Nature Ambassador and dairy farmer from the Bride Valley in Co. Cork. Alongside running a productive dairy farm, he has introduced ponds, pollinator strips and wildlife habitats, and plays a leading role in the BRIDE Project, a farmer-led initiative supporting biodiversity across the River Bride catchment.

Dr. Derek McLoughlin

Ecologist & Researcher

Derek is Project Manager of the Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE Project and has worked in agro-ecology for over two decades. His work focuses on nature restoration, results-based farming schemes and rural development through biodiversity. Derek is particularly interested in how farming communities can lead positive environmental change.

Ella McSweeney

Broadcaster & Journalist

Fergal Smith

Mixed Stock Farmer

Fergal Smith is a Farming for Nature Ambassador working at Moyhill Community Farm, a 49-hectare regenerative agriculture project focused on building resilient local food systems. Through no-dig growing, agroforestry and strong community connections, his work demonstrates how farming can restore landscapes and reconnect people with food and nature.

Hannah Quinn Mulligan

Journalist & Farmer

Hannah runs an organic dairy and beef farm and farm shop, Tory Hill House, with her mother and grandmother in Co. Limerick. She regularly appears as a reporter and presenter on RTÉ programmes including Countrywide and Heated, and has written extensively for The Irish Times on agricultural issues such as feed shortages and water quality.

Helen Keys

Tillage Farmer

Helen farms 50 acres in rural Tyrone with her husband Charlie, producing fibre flax as part of a diverse crop rotation. She works on farming innovation through the Growing Innovation Network and collaborates with farmers and ecologists to develop practical solutions for improving farming systems and keeping nutrients on farms.

Janet Power

Smallholder

Janet is a Farming For Nature Ambassador who co-runs Gorse Farm near Bunclody, Co. Carlow, an organic market garden producing salads and leafy greens for local shops and restaurants. Using organic and no-dig principles, the farm focuses on soil health, biodiversity and natural fertility through composting, green manures and native hedgerows.

Dr. Jane Shackleton

Sheep Farmer & Researcher

Jane is a Farming For Nature Ambassador who runs a 250-acre organic suckler-to-beef farm in Co. Cavan combining productive agriculture with rich habitats including woodlands, wetlands and hay meadows. Alongside farming, her research in grassland science explores multispecies grazing systems that support both productivity and biodiversity.

Jonny Blair

Beef Farmer

Jonny Blair runs a 300-acre suckler beef farm near Limavady, focusing on soil health, mob grazing and multispecies swards to improve herd resilience and reduce farm costs. More recently, he has integrated trees into the landscape to strengthen soil structure and increase the farm’s resilience to floods and drought.

Katie Gleeson

Dairy Farmer

Katie Gleeson is a seventh-generation dairy farmer in Co. Tipperary and the voice behind the popular social media platform @katieinthecountry. A student of Agricultural Science and Sustainability, Katie combines her practical farming experience with advocacy for rural life, sustainability, and the vital role of women in the dairy industry.

Ken Gill

Beef Farmer

Ken is a Farming For Nature Ambassador and an organic beef and tillage farmer based in Co. Offaly. Managing a resilient 95-hectare system, he combines grass-fed livestock with crop rotation to build soil health, support biodiversity and maintain strong farm performance.

Liam Hennessy

Dairy Farmer

Liam comes from an agricultural advisory and finance background, with experience in agri-business development and expertise in land economics and agricultural policy. As Nature Finance Project Lead, he works to unlock landscape-scale opportunities for nature restoration and community development.

Lisa Fingleton

Artist & Grower

Lisa is a Farming For Nature Ambassador, artist, writer and grower exploring the connections between art, food and farming. Through her work, she brings creative approaches to sustainability, community and biodiversity.

Knocknarea Farm

Market Gardener

Rob and Sean run a mixed farm in Strandhill, Co. Sligo, producing vegetables, pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed beef. Selling directly through their farm shop and local outlets, they focus on profitable farming while enhancing soil health and biodiversity. They are Farming for Nature Ambassadors.

Dr. Sharon Parr

Biologist

Sharon is a biologist and conservation specialist with extensive experience in nature restoration and community engagement. Her work focuses on biodiversity, practical conservation and supporting people to take action for nature in farming landscapes.

Sinead Moran

Dairy Farmer

Sinéad is a Farming For Nature Ambassador and dairy farmer from Co. Mayo, producing raw organic milk within a high nature value farm. Her work combines biodiversity, animal health and local food systems.

Tommy Earley

Beef Farmer

Tommy Earley is a Farming for Nature Ambassador farming organically on the shores of Lough Allen in Co. Roscommon, managing a landscape rich in rare habitats and wildlife. His farm includes raised bog, native woodland and species-rich grasslands, and he actively shares his knowledge through farm visits, community gardening and biodiversity projects.

Ali Craig

Arable and Beef Farmer

Ali runs a 300-cow pedigree Holstein herd and manages 100 hectares of arable land in Limavady, Co. Derry. Over the past five years, he has transformed his approach by brewing his own fertilisers and transitioning to biological soil amendments, focusing on a closed-loop system between his livestock and arable crops.

Clive Buttimer

Beef Farmer

Clive runs a mixed beef farm near Clonakilty, operating a store and weanling-to-beef system. His focus is on improving economic performance and environmental impact by reducing synthetic inputs through better soil, animal, and plant health.

David Walsh-Kemmis

Brewery Owner & Tillage Farmer

Denise Boothman

Dairy Farmer

Denise runs a dairy farm in North Cork with her husband Ben, managing 380 cows across two milking platforms. Their focus is on improving soil health to reduce inputs, lower costs and support herd health.

Gareth Culligan

Tillage Farmer

Gareth is a Farming For Nature Ambassador and a tillage farmer in Co. Louth, managing 242 hectares under conservation agriculture principles. By transitioning to no-till and focusing on soil health, Gareth has built a resilient system that supports both high-quality crop production and a thriving local ecosystem.

James Ashmore

Mixed Systems Farmer

James runs a 110 ha mixed farm with arable, beef and sheep. He focuses on building soil health through min-till systems, direct drilling, diverse rotations, cover crops and the use of organic manures while reducing synthetic inputs.

John Geraghty

Agricultural Researcher

John is a renowned agricultural advisor and researcher with over 25 years of experience across five continents. A specialist in conservation agriculture and regenerative practices, he focuses on the sustainable management of soil and water resources to build climate-resilient farming systems.

Michael O’Callaghan

Dairy Farmer

Michael is a dairy farmer near Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, where he actively promotes low-cost, sustainable farming systems. As an active BASE member, his work emphasizes creating healthy soils with high organic matter through continuous learning and farm trials.

Neil Fuller

Soil Health Advisor

Neil Fuller is an agricultural consultant specialising in soil health and regenerative farming systems. His work focuses on improving soil biology and farm resilience, and he regularly leads workshops and field sessions helping farmers understand the links between soil, food and climate.

Nigel Gillis

Tillage Farmer

Nigel is a Farming for Nature Ambassador and arable farmer near Grangecon, West Wicklow. Over the past 15 years he has transitioned from a high-input conventional system to low-input and organic farming, focusing on building soil fertility while protecting pollinators and wildlife.

Norman Dunne

Tillage & Poultry Farmer

Norman is a Farming For Nature Ambassador and regenerative tillage farmer in Co. Kildare. He is transitioning a 400-acre arable farm towards conservation agriculture, focusing on soil health, biodiversity and reduced inputs.

Padraic Dunleavy

Tillage & Beef Farmer

Padraic is an organic farmer running a tillage and beef operation with his family, certified since 2009. He focuses deeply on encouraging biodiversity and building a resilient system by improving soil health through biological inputs and composting.

Paul Moorhead

Tillage Farmer

Paul is a stockless organic cereal farmer at Newtowngirley Farm, producing oats, barley and diverse intercrops. He focuses on building a self-sustaining ecosystem, avoiding synthetic inputs through biological mixes and biodynamic principles.

Pippa Hackett

Farmer & EIP Manager

Pippa is a farmer and former Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity. She works at the intersection of farming, policy and regenerative agriculture.

Robbie Byrne

Farm Advisor

Robbie is a BASE Ireland farmer and advisor in biological and regenerative farming systems, supporting farmers and advisors to improve soil health through practices such as cover crops, companion cropping and reducing compaction to encourage soil biology and biodiversity.

Therese O’Keeffe

Beef Farmer

Therese is a beef farmer in Ballynoe, East Cork, and an active member of BASE Ireland. Involved in community-led nature solutions, she combines her knowledge of the Soil Food Web with practical on-farm projects like the ‘Trees for Water’ scheme to protect local river catchments.

Tommy Hughes

Arable Farmer

Tommy is an arable farmer from Co. Meath transitioning to regenerative agriculture. His work focuses on reducing inputs, improving soil health and building resilient cropping systems.

Anthony Mooney

Beef Farmer

Anthony is a Farming For Nature Ambassador and beef farmer in Co. Kildare, managing a 200-acre system based on permanent pasture. Farming without chemical fertilisers for over 20 years, he supports species-rich grasslands that provide vital habitats for birds and wildlife alongside productive farming.

Bruce Thompson

Dairy Farmer

Bruce is an eighth-generation dairy farmer and Farming for Nature Ambassador in Co. Laois. Managing a 300-cow herd, Bruce has gained international recognition for his pioneering work on dung beetles, integrating insect ecology and soil health into a high-performing modern dairy system.

Dr. Cheryl Poole

Dairy Farmer

Clinton Brownrig

Tillage Farmer

Clinton is an arable farmer based in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains, focusing on crop health and soil biology. His approach centres on reducing inputs, minimising soil disturbance and building resilient systems through diverse rotations, cover crops and tailored nutrition.

Darren Allen

Tillage Farmer

Darren manages 120 hectares at the historic Ballymaloe grounds in East Cork. Transitioning to a regenerative system, Darren integrates tillage with outdoor pigs and poultry, using biological amendments like compost teas to reduce inputs while actively boosting farm biodiversity.

Eamonn McLouglin

Master Hedgelayer

Eamonn is a master hedge layer and stonemason with over 20 years of experience in traditional rural crafts. On his nature-friendly calf-to-beef farm in Offaly, Eamonn combines heritage skills with environmental actions to protect and enhance the Irish landscape.

Dr. Emma Hart

Conservation Ecologist

Emma is a conservation ecologist and founder of Habitats, a consultancy at the forefront of nature restoration and policy. Lead author of the Farming for Nature Handbook, Emma bridges the gap between strategic biodiversity advice and practical restoration at her own 50-acre reserve in Cork.

James McCrossan

Sheep Farmer

James is a sheep farmer from Co. Tyrone who has introduced agroforestry into his system, combining grazing with tree planting. His work focuses on improving biodiversity and exploring new opportunities for the farm, including habitat creation and future agri-tourism.

Jim Cronin

Market Gardener & Educator

Jim is a Farming for Nature Ambassador and a master organic market gardener in Co. Clare. With over 30 years of experience, Jim is a revered educator whose nature-led approach blends traditional wisdom—including the use of working horses—with modern biological principles.

Professor Jim McAdam

Academic & Researcher

Jim has spent his career researching sustainable agriculture and agroforestry at Queen’s University Belfast and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute. He is a leading advocate for integrating trees into farming systems and continues to support projects promoting agroforestry and climate-resilient landscapes.

John McHugh

Dairy Farmer

John is a Farming for Nature Ambassador and organic dairy farmer in Co. Laois. A visionary in community-led agriculture, John has transformed his farm into a diverse ecosystem of multi-species pastures and agroforestry, centered on the Clondarrig Community Farm project.

Leslie Dwyer

Farm Advisor

Leslie is the founder of FuturAg and an expert in soil health and nutrient application. With 25 years of experience, Leslie focuses on helping grassland farmers reduce their reliance on chemical fertilisers through innovative foliar application and biological soil management.

Mauricio Castellano

Agricultural Engineer

Mauricio is a specialist in regenerative and biological farming systems with global experience. Based at Ballymaloe Farm, he combines his background in precision agriculture with advanced research in microorganism production to develop resilient, low-input agricultural models.

Neil Fuller

Soil Health Advisor

Nigel Gillis

Tillage Farmer

Nigel is a Farming for Nature Ambassador and arable farmer near Grangecon, West Wicklow. Over the past 15 years he has transitioned from a high-input conventional system to low-input and organic farming, focusing on building soil fertility while protecting pollinators and wildlife.

Norman Dunne

Tillage & Poultry Farmer

Owen Murphy

Ecologist

Laura Tully

Wellness

Laura is a registered nurse and the founder of the acclaimed Fit Farmers initiative. With 25 years of healthcare experience, Laura delivers evidence-based lifestyle programmes that empower farmers to take charge of their physical and mental wellbeing.

Paul Moorhead

Tillage Farmer

Robbie Byrne

Farm Advisor

Tim Butter

Ecologist

Tim Butter is the Farmer Moth Monitoring Officer for Ireland with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. He works with farmers across the country to record moth species on their farms, helping to reveal the richness of farmland biodiversity and the role insects play in healthy ecosystems.

Will Gabbet

Tillage Farmer

Will is a regenerative farmer in Co. Kilkenny who has seen a significant uplift in soil biology and birdlife through reduced soil disturbance. By managing mature native forestry and using biological foliar nutrition, Will is successfully mitigating the impact of chemical inputs on his land.

Will Lishman

Ecologist

Will is an ecologist specialising in farmland birds and biodiversity, with experience in research and ecological consultancy. With a background rooted in farming landscapes, his work focuses on understanding and supporting wildlife within agricultural systems.

Kim McCall

Beef Farmer

Kim is a mentor in the “Horse’s Mouth” programme, where Farming for Nature Ambassadors walk farmers’ land to share practical experience and advice. Kim farms in Calverstown, Co. Kildare, where he and his wife Mireille manage a 230-acre mixed livestock farm supporting wetlands, ponds, woodlands and species-rich grasslands without artificial fertilisers or pesticides.

Dr. Sharon Parr

Biologist