Goats a catalyst for change in Co. Carlow

Agriland

10-05-2025

A small herd of Old Irish Goats attracted almost 2,000 visitors from across Carlow in the sunshine recently as people of all ages learned about the county council's urban pollinator foraging initiative and a little about fire safety on the cusp of wildfire season.
The Old Irish Goats – Ireland's indigenous landrace breed now only found in remote mountain ranges, roaming in feral herds – will return to Co. Carlow in September.
On that occasion, the council will work with some local retired farmers to demonstrate how to make cocks of hay, a scene that has not been seen in Carlow for many years, according to Shane Casey, environmental officer with Carlow County Council.
In 2023, the Carlow local authority adopted a green infrastructure strategy, which includes the policy that no pollinator in Co. Carlow's towns and villages will have to travel more than 200m to find a food source.
Casey said: 'To do this, we developed a unique urban pollinator foraging network map in Carlow town. This has since been advocated by the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan as an example of best practice for prioritising local resources.'
The Old Irish Goats hitching a lift on the fire brigade
'In 2024, we commissioned Flynn Furney to contact all community and residents' groups in the eight largest towns and villages in Carlow: Carlow town; Tullow; Bagenalstown; Leighlinbridge; Hacketstown; Borris; Ballon; and Rathvilly.
'We asked them to map any community-managed open spaces, where there was a desire to do more for pollinators. Over 60ac in total were mapped and all individual sites were a minimum size of 0.5 ac, and were being mown regularly.
'The focus of the next stage is to encourage a change in management, to move away from regular mowing, saving time and labour and reducing carbon footprint, and towards long flowering meadows in these areas, significantly improving conditions for biodiversity and enabling enhanced ecosystem services,' Casey said.
The environmental officer went on to explain the important role of the Old Irish Goats in bringing about this different approach.
'The goats are a catalyst for this change in management, rather than the sole solution, and we will be partnering with the Co Carlow Environmental Network in September to offer practical help to local residents who want to make such changes..
'This will involve us helping to 'cut and lift' these spaces, limited to any green space which is a minimum of 0.5 ac in size, where a mown boundary strip is maintained throughout the summer, and where signs – which we will provide – are erected and maintained,' he said.
It is anticipated that the 'lifted' vegetation will be used as part of a cultural event to demonstrate the skill of making cocks of hay.
The goats stayed overnight in the parochial house in Bagenalstown. They then visited the green adjacent to Leighlinbridge church, and also took in the green areas of Brooklawns, Burrindale and Sherwood, before finishing up at Hacketstown fire station.
Their shepherd, Melissa Jeuken, was on hand throughout the week, along with Casey, to deliver educational talks on pollinators, land management for pollinators, and the goats themselves, the subject of Casey's agricultural science undergraduate thesis.
According to Casey: 'Also joining us throughout the week was our fire service crew, delivering fire safety awareness as we enter wildfire season.
'These were the same goats as seen on Howth Head, controlling gorse and scrub to manage wildfire impacts, an issue all too prevalent in Carlow as well.
'We also found time during the week to create a Carlow version of the classic 'Three Billy Goats Gruff' performed by local woman, Wibbly Wobbly Wendy, and posted on Facebook by the National Heritage Council.'
Shane Casey and Melissa Jeuken with the Old Irish Goats