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Cork solicitor wins prestigious award at 2025 Irish Law Awards

Cork solicitor wins prestigious award at 2025 Irish Law Awards

The award which was announced at a gala ceremony on Friday, June 6 at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, recognises Ms Nolan's outstanding legal excellence and commitment to client-focused service.
The Irish Law Awards are the most prestigious accolades in the legal industry in Ireland, celebrating innovation, dedication and excellence across all sectors of legal practice.
The Sole Practitioner of the Year Award honours an outstanding firm of solicitors headed by a sole Practitioner.
The firm will have demonstrated in an exemplary manner an exceptional achievement or achievements in the law.
Ms Nolan's achievement reflects a distinguished career spanning over 30 years.
Her reputation for compassionate, strategic advocacy in family law has made her a respected and trusted legal professional throughout Cork and Munster.
Her ability to blend legal precision with empathy has consistently delivered favourable outcomes for her clients, especially in sensitive matters such as divorce, custody disputes and domestic violence cases.
Ms Nolan said she is thrilled and honoured to be named Sole Practitioner of the Year. 'This recognition is a wonderful milestone in my legal career and a tribute to the incredible support of my clients and team. I am grateful to the judges and organisers for this honour."
Tracie Nolan Solicitors, established in Cork city in December 2023, while specialising in family law matters, the firm also offers conveyancing, probate and a wide range of family-related legal services.
With deep roots in West Cork and a BCL Honours degree from University College Cork, Tracie has brought decades of diverse legal experience into her own practice.
Her career journey, from a rural general practice to equity partnership and now to award-winning sole practitioner, demonstrates her dedication to the legal profession.

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Factory insight on beef price and heavy carcass markets
Factory insight on beef price and heavy carcass markets

Agriland

time2 days ago

  • Agriland

Factory insight on beef price and heavy carcass markets

Over 400 farmers from across Ireland attended the recent Irish Grassland Association (IGA) Beef Event in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, where they heard an interesting factory insight on beef price and heavy carcass markets. The event took place on Tuesday, June 10, on the 112ha farm of Tim Meagher, who is finishing 250 continental, suckler-bred cattle/year in a store-to-beef system. The farm finishes both heifers and steers sourced from the west of Ireland. The average grade for both heifers and steers is U=3= with an average steer carcass weight of 481kg in 2024. All cattle are sold to Dawn Meats and speaking at the event, the factory group development manager Paul Nolan explained why producing carcasses of this weight is now 'a specialist job'. He also gave an insight on how he sees beef prices faring in the near future. As beef finishers will know, producing beef carcasses over 400kg can cause issues with some processors, as these cattle can be deemed 'overweight' and face price cuts, in some cases. Heavy carcasses The Dawn Meats group development manager said: ' In terms of what Tim is producing here, I suppose I could give you a history lesson. 'Back 40 years ago, everybody wanted what Tim was doing because intervention was paying. The better the grade – the bigger the animal, the more money you got. 'But when we got into the real world, what we found was as retail and supermarkets grew – and that's where most of us are now doing our shopping – that there is a commonality and the commonality is that people are watching the price of a steak. 'So that tends to influence their purchasing choice and when we translate that back for the majority of markets, it is something that is somewhat lighter than what Tim is producing. 'But on the other side, there are niches for very-high quality, heavy beef [carcasses] on the continent. They're small, very demanding and the big thing – they want is consistency.' Nolan explained that marketing these heavy carcasses effectively requires a steady supply of a consistent product. He said: 'What we find with people like Tim is that you know what he has and therefore you have a chance of selling that on a continuous basis and getting a good return for it. 'The danger is we have some people who will come in with cattle that are not quite as good, we haven't been given the notice and it's very hard to market that properly.' What's the issue with the heavy carcass? Nolan explained why heavy carcasses can cause challenges when trying to retail the prime beef cuts of these. He said: 'The striploin of those animals 400-440kg are too big for the supermarkets so they end up going into the local carvery or local restaurant where they're sliced for roast beef rather than steaks.' He explained that where a processor is aware of heavy cattle coming in advance and the factory has an outlet, the subsequent prime cuts of beef of these heavier cattle 'actually end up at much higher value in Europe'. Beef price outlook Farmers always like to hear a factory-representatives' perspective on where beef price will go and while Nolan admitted he can not say for certain how the market will perform, he offered his insight and opinion on where the trade is currently at and where it may go. He said: 'Currently, retailers are struggling to hold back the full price that beef is now costing them and that therefore is now starting to hit the consumer and we are starting to see a bit of resistance. I think figures in the UK are starting to demonstrate that. 'In normal circumstances, if the product is too high, the price has to come down if we are to to move it. 'On the other side, not just across Europe but through major global beef producing countries at the moment, cattle [supplies] are tight. And they're going to be tight for the foreseeable. 'So I think there's a reasonable balance that says if you're to take a punt any year, this mightn't be the wrong one to do it. ' One farmer in attendance at the event highlighted the number of Irish weanlings that are being exported and noted that these cattle are going to countries that could potentially be market destinations for Irish beef. The Dawn Meats group development manager acknowledged the farmers' point saying: 'From our point of view, there's major haemorrhaging going on at the moment but the market is the market and he with the best price dictates.' 'The point I was making was with those animals going away, that prices are going to be reasonably stable here for the foreseeable – in my opinion.' Ideal factory carcass specification Nolan was asked for a comment on the ideal factory carcass specification and said: 'The general rule hasn't changed in the last coupe of years. 'Go back again to the fact most of us are buying our beef in the supermarket, so the feedback from that is we're looking for – in the ideal world – a 300-350 or 360kg carcass grading an O+ to an R+ or and fat score of 3 but a 4- is fine and that tends to suit the majority of markets at the very best.' 'There is room on both sides of that obviously.' He said: '60% of beef is from the dairy side and we are seeing a lot more cattle that suit the pockets of most of the consumers as I say. 'And the pluses about those is that if they're being done well, and the genetics is right that you're producing an animal you can kill younger, cutting down on the methane, turning over animals more quickly. The Dawn Meats group development manager noted that the cattle Tim is producing are 'very much specialist'. 'You need a very clear understanding with your factory that you will have them, when you have them, and see can they sell them basically. 'You don't want to turn up on the day and be told they're not what the supermarket want.' Nolan credited the host farmer for the major focus on grass-based weight gain for the beef cattle on his farm. 'Grass based is essential, As we know, it's the unique selling point of Irish beef and it's something that's recognised throughout the world or at least the world we operate in.,' Nolan said.

Cork solicitor wins prestigious award at 2025 Irish Law Awards
Cork solicitor wins prestigious award at 2025 Irish Law Awards

Irish Independent

time3 days ago

  • Irish Independent

Cork solicitor wins prestigious award at 2025 Irish Law Awards

The award which was announced at a gala ceremony on Friday, June 6 at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, recognises Ms Nolan's outstanding legal excellence and commitment to client-focused service. The Irish Law Awards are the most prestigious accolades in the legal industry in Ireland, celebrating innovation, dedication and excellence across all sectors of legal practice. The Sole Practitioner of the Year Award honours an outstanding firm of solicitors headed by a sole Practitioner. The firm will have demonstrated in an exemplary manner an exceptional achievement or achievements in the law. Ms Nolan's achievement reflects a distinguished career spanning over 30 years. Her reputation for compassionate, strategic advocacy in family law has made her a respected and trusted legal professional throughout Cork and Munster. Her ability to blend legal precision with empathy has consistently delivered favourable outcomes for her clients, especially in sensitive matters such as divorce, custody disputes and domestic violence cases. Ms Nolan said she is thrilled and honoured to be named Sole Practitioner of the Year. 'This recognition is a wonderful milestone in my legal career and a tribute to the incredible support of my clients and team. I am grateful to the judges and organisers for this honour." Tracie Nolan Solicitors, established in Cork city in December 2023, while specialising in family law matters, the firm also offers conveyancing, probate and a wide range of family-related legal services. With deep roots in West Cork and a BCL Honours degree from University College Cork, Tracie has brought decades of diverse legal experience into her own practice. Her career journey, from a rural general practice to equity partnership and now to award-winning sole practitioner, demonstrates her dedication to the legal profession.

Clonakilty Food Company's Colette Twomey on instilling the right culture in your company
Clonakilty Food Company's Colette Twomey on instilling the right culture in your company

Irish Examiner

time04-06-2025

  • Irish Examiner

Clonakilty Food Company's Colette Twomey on instilling the right culture in your company

Colette Twomey, managing director of Clonakilty Food Company, was the speaker at this month's Cork Chamber Business Breakfast, where she detailed the history of one of Ireland's most recognisable food brands. Speaking to business leaders, she detailed the history of the company, which dates back to the 1800s, and has since grown into an international brand available in outlets across the world, including the UK, Europe and Australia. In 1976, Edward Twomey and his wife Colette took over a butcher shop in Clonakilty and made black pudding, which they began distributing around Cork and Munster due to its popularity. In the 1980s, they added other products such as sausages and white pudding. Speaking at the event in the Clayton Hotel on Cork's Lapp's Quay, Ms Twomey said they promoted the products at food events and roadshows, which expanded its reach. In the 1990s, to meet demand from a growing number of supermarkets, they opened a facility in Little Island outside Cork City. Colette continued to run the company after Eddie died in 2005, and in 2017 she realised a long dream of bringing production back to Clonakilty, developing a purpose-built facility in the town. "You make a decision and you go for it," she said. "Luck is when opportunity meets gut instinct. There are opportunities left, right, and centre. You can choose to ignore them, but if your gut tells you they're right, then lo and behold, you get lucky." The company's drive has moved what was generally viewed as a niche product into a mainstay of Irish cuisine, moving off the breakfast plate into salads, burgers, lasagnes and a pizza topping. Clonakilty is arguably as synonymous with Irish food production as Kerrygold or Barry's Tea. She said in her time running the company, she tried to instil the right culture. "Culture isn't something that you write down or you put on top of the list of a strategy meeting or plan, or anything like that. "It is something that you live day in, day out. I could see the Japanese people, there isn't a sweet paper on the street, there isn't a paper cup. And there isn't a person taping you on the shoulder saying: 'Pick that up, or don't throw it'. It is just their culture. "You have to live your culture in the company. It can be negative, but if you aim at having a positive culture, it will stand to you, and it will filter down through all the teams. You can overemphasise the importance of it." Taking questions from the audience, and asked about her approach in crises such as Brexit, covid, the war in Ukraine and other challenges, Ms Twomey said her calm approach served the company well. "Everyone was saying when Brexit was on the cards that you have to do this, you have to do that. You have to put your staff through lectures and talks. I was saying 'hold on' because everyone was second-guessing everything, so we waited until we knew what was happening. "But it was a challenge. It was a challenge with deliveries, with paperwork. Because black and white pudding would sit longer than sausages so it was a challenge with deliveries." Ms Twomey said the covid pandemic was a busy period for the company, with people spending more time at home and eating more. However, the pork crisis in 2008 was one of the greatest challenges when a global recall of products took place following a food contamination scare. "The pork crisis was the worst day of work I ever did. Having to tell staff that everything was being pulled off the market. We didn't know if it was one day, two days, a week or a month. The insecurity of that was frightening." Read More One of Ireland's oldest companies completes move to new Cork manufacturing facility

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