8 minute read
In Profile - Dr Edna Curley
from IHFA Journal - Winter 2021
by IHFA
Mountbellew Agricultural College was established by the Franciscan Brothers in 1904. The only agricultural college in Connacht, it caters for 900 students annually.
Dr. Edna Curley, Principal of Mountbellew Agricultural College, diligently takes charge of leading the agricultural education and training of the next generation of farmers - numbering circa 900 students, annually. Established by the Franciscan Brothers in 1904 Mountbellew is the oldest college in Ireland. It is the only agricultural college in the province of Connacht.
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Edna who manages a teaching staff of 23 is proud of the deep heritage and historical contribution that the college has made. Yet with contemporary teaching methods now embraced, it is indicative of a philosophy to keep progressing and adapting in line with technological advances and societal change.
Fostering strategic relationships with local third level educational institutes and providing a selection of customised courses is one example of this evolution. Course delivery through distance learning is another such example. A number of short courses in skills training, farm management, farm safety and other farming topics are also provided.
The philosophy of the founding congregation the Franciscan Brothers is that every human being is a unique individual whose personal growth is fostered in a respected environment.
The edict of the Franciscan brothers “That education is available to everyone, regardless of background, gender or academic ability” underpins the Mountbellew ethos.
Edna hails the inclusive approach espoused by her vocational predecessors, where not only did the Brothers teach the necessary technical farming skills but the students also received a broader, more rounded education to equip themselves with life skills.
Appointed as College Principal in June 2019, Edna is now two years into the role. From the outset the college and farm facilities were identified as hugely significant resources to continually attract healthy student numbers.
The dairy herd is earmarked for development. Earlier this year the Mountbellew herd prefix was re-activated with IHFA, which was a longestablished pedigree herd founded by Brother William Martyn. Registrations in the herd were brought up to date and the herd was assessed for conformation standard through the IHFA Classification service. In the early days of a new chapter for the herd there are ten cows scored VG/EX with a further fifteen scored Good Plus.
“Pedigree has always meant the best of the best.”
Edna states, “Pedigree registering with IHFA represents a repository of information and breeding detail of a herd history. Breeders are building on the very best of every generation.
Education, Diversity & Inclusion at Mountbellew
You are building on a core of key data, making informed decisions as to what works best.
“The pedigree registered status of the herd is the road map to the past, the present and the future of the herd. It is an aspiration for the college to represent as a showcase Holstein Friesian herd for the entire west of Ireland with a complimentary blend of high EBI, high conformation merit, achieving all the key output and performance metrics befitting a student learning resource facility”.
Next year all heifer calves born in the herd will be genomically tested as a routine management practice. A limited level of sexed semen will be used for the breeding season and the new Dairy Beef Index will be incorporated when choosing beef sires at the latter end of the breeding season. Collectively these strategies will help to further enhance existing layers of sustainability.
UCD Lyons Influence
A native of Clonmacnoise in Co. Offaly, Edna entered the doors of Mountbellew College in 1998 as a Green Cert student. Reared on a dry stock farm without any experience of milking cows, the college dairy herd endowed her with an almost immediate love of dairying.
Undergraduate qualifications in Agricultural Science Studies followed, firstly from Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) and then subsequently University College Dublin (UCD). Edna then pursued post graduate studies in
Youngstock of the Mountbellew registered herd
Agronomy through UCD, attaining a Masters and Doctorate (PhD) in Nutrient Management Planning.
To help bolster finances as a post-grad student conducting crop trials based at UCD Lyons farm, Edna frequently worked as a weekend relief milker for the college dairy herd.
“To this day I have such fond memories of those really enjoyable times milking the UCD Lyons herd registered with the Glasnevin prefix. Seeing the glass jars in the milking parlour fill up with milk is a sight that always transfixed me. Even nowadays with more sophisticated technology available, I still much prefer parlours with the traditional glass jars.”
The Clongowes registered herd also left a lasting impression on Edna.
“I was living in Clane at the time and would often stroll into Clongowes Wood College for a leisurely walk. Upon every visit the quality of the college herd impressed me more and more”.
A life-long profession in academia seemed likely when taking up a position as a research Agronomist with University College Galway.
Improving Gender Balance
“There were 90 lads and just three girls in my class the year we were studying for the Green Cert. Certainly since that time the gender ratio balance has improved and there is further work to be done.
“While there is variation from year to year, the ratio of females is typically around 15%. It is noticeable that the trend with the third level courses offered in conjunction with GMIT have a higher female representation level - up to 30%.
Aleen Cust – pioneering role model
Aleen Cust (1868 – 1937) was the first woman to become a veterinary surgeon in Ireland and the UK. Born in Tipperary and reared in England, Aleen practiced as a vet for a number of years while living in Ballygar, close to Mountbellew, dispensing veterinary care in the Galway / Roscommon locality. A highly regarded vet, Aleen encountered many obstacles in her professional career due to prejudices of that era. Her life story recently featured on RTE’s Nationwide TV programme. Edna is assisting a local organising committee aiming to raise the profile of Aleen’s life work and her pioneering achievements.
The stellar contribution to the Mountbellew herd of Brother William and Brother Gerry.
“Brother William, who is now retired, dedicated 50 years of his life to developing and progressing the herd. He established the Mountbellew pedigree herd and through the decades he always sought to improve the breeding in the herd, selecting the top performing bloodlines.
“I am blessed to carry the torch of his legacy and am very mindful of this duty of care out of respect for all of his formative work. Brother Gerry, who is also retired, worked very hard
on the farm down through the years. He occasionally helps out with tasks now and again especially during the busy calving season.
“It has to be said that together both he and Brother William minded the herd with such levels of pride and attention, it was as if the stock were their very own. The origins of the college dairy herd were cows purchased from monasteries in the surrounding areas.
Mountbellew Rose 128 GP83
• 7,649kgs milk, 603kgs milk solids, 4.30% fat, 3.58% protein in her 3rd lactation (302 d) Mountbellew CZI Catherine 003 GP82
Martin Noone is the dairy technician employed to oversee all day-to-day tasks and activities of the herd today. In the same mode as his predecessors, Martin is similarly invested in the heritage and history of the herd. A former graduate of the college, Martin has been milking the cows on the farm since he was a teenager.
The dairy herd comprises a 33-hectare grazing block around the parlour with two outside blocks. Optimum herd size is 90 cows with an all-spring calving system in place with all replacements reared.
As is the case with all college farms, Mountbellew has been selected by Teagasc as a host farm for its new Signpost Environmental Programme.
Edna’s husband Michael O’Flynn, a native of Barryroe in West Cork, is steeped in pedigree registered Black & White breeding. Donomore was the prefix of his family’s British Friesian herd. They exhibited cattle at all the local shows including Bandon, Clonakilty and the big Munster Agricultural Show. The herdbook registration certs from that formative era remain archived in the family home filed in perfect condition as treasured memorabilia.
Pointing the way forward
Edna states “The Mountbellew Agricultural College farm is a typical west of Ireland farm with mineral soils that have to be minded accordingly. As is the case with all farms the land needs to be curated and treated appropriately.
The list of courses currently offered by Mountbellew Agricultural College including those in conjunction with GMIT include; • Bachelor of Science in Agriculture & Environmental Management • Bachelor of Business in Rural Enterprise & Agribusiness • Bachelor of Engineering in Agricultural
Engineering • Adult Certificate in Agriculture Level 5/Level 6 • Certificate in Agriculture Level 5 and Advanced Certificate in Agriculture Level 6
