FFN Festival Speakers | 2026
About Cheryl
Dairy Farmer • Water Quality Advocate • FFN Ambassador
Dr. Cheryl Poole is a dairy farmer based near Gorey, Co. Wexford, where she and her husband Alan run a 42-hectare conventional dairy farm while raising their three children. At Rose Bridge Farm, Cheryl plays a central role in shaping a system that balances productivity with care for nature.
Biodiversity & Space for Nature in Dairy
Milking a herd of high-EBI cows, the family maintains a high-performing dairy enterprise while dedicating more than 20% of their land to biodiversity and wildlife habitats. Cheryl is passionate about protecting water quality and creating space for nature on a working farm, championing practical actions such as wildlife margins, native hedgerows, and habitat projects that support birds, bats, and pollinators.
Education & Community Engagement
She is also committed to sharing their experience with the wider community through farm walks, education initiatives, and collaboration with local groups. Cheryl’s approach shows how modern Irish dairy farming can thrive while nurturing the environment for future generations.
As a Farming for Nature Ambassador, Cheryl champions soil health, biological farming, and biodiversity, highlighting the link between good farming and good food.
See Cheryl at the Festival
Join Cheryl at the Farming for Nature Festival and hear her perspective on the connection between food, farming and biodiversity.
