Cork’s Aileen Sheehan is named 2025 FBD Young Farmer of the Year, the first female winner in the competition’s history. Aileen milks 140 dairy cows on a 100% leased farm, managing 28 in-calf heifers and 24 calves as replacements.
She began farming in December 2021 after leasing a dairy unit in Whitechurch, purchasing a herd, and starting milk supply. In 2023 she introduced her own heifers, and now runs the enterprise with her husband while raising their six-month-old baby. The farm is supported by three part-time staff – Sarah, Aoife, and Tadgh – and has a strong focus on sustainability.
Alongside farming, Aileen teaches PE and Maths, while her husband serves in the Army. They won the Dairygold Milk Quality and Sustainability Award in 2024.
This year marks the 27th anniversary of the FBD Young Farmer of the Year Awards, which were held at the Killashee Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare. Aileen Sheehan, the 2025 winner of the award was present at the awards ceremony and addressed the crowd. She spoke of the importance of women being visible in the Agriculture Sector.
“Behind every good man is a great woman, and that’s true, but we shouldn’t be behind. It’s time for women in the agriculture sector to step forward,” she said.
The aim of the competition is to recognise and reward the top young farmers in the country. Entrants are judged according to a number of criteria, including farm business initiative and innovation, levels of farm efficiency and enterprise quality, farm safety and environmental protection awareness, and agricultural knowledge. The judges commended the high calibre of contestants this year, and congratulated all who participated at every level of the competition.
The evening also saw a number of additional category winners: Sarah Kelly, from Sligo, was awarded Best Young Entrant; The Skillnet Biodiversity Award went to our eventual winner Aileen Sheehan who also won the Dairy Category; Tipperary’s Amie Coonan won the Drystock category; The Land Mobility award went to David Heraty of Mayo, and Isaac Wheelock, from Wexford was the winner in the Other Enterprises category and was also Runner Up in the competition.
“History is made as we announce the first female winner of the FBD Young Farmer of the Year awards,” Josephine O’Neill, Macra National President said. “On behalf of Macra, I’d like to congratulate Aileen Sheehan on her outstanding achievement. Throughout the competition, she has demonstrated her passion for and dedication to agriculture, the environment and her local community.”
Michael Berkery, Chairman of the FBD Trust extended congratulated to Aileen Sheehan ‘on this well-deserved award’.
“The FBD Young Farmer of the Year award is a reflection of Aileen’s unwavering dedication, passion, and hard work. FBD Insurance is proud to continue our long-standing partnership with Macra and the FBD Young Farmer of the Year Awards.
Francie Gorman, also congratulated all participants, saying his hope is that the experience has been positive for them. “Having dipped their toe in the water, I would ask this year’s entrants to consider extending their involvement in representing farmers.”
