Three students from Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise, were announced as runners-up at the final of the 2025 Certified Irish Angus Schools’ Competition in Croke Park last Friday.
Jill Sheehy, Carol Sheehy and Sinéad Slevin attended the prestigious grand final in the Hogan Suite at the iconic venue after successfully completing their project and rearing five Angus calves for 18 months.
As part of the competition, the Scoil Chríost Rí students completed a research project on the topic “Optimising Sustainable Animal Nutrition for Better Angus Beef Cattle”.
They focused their research on reducing carbon emissions by using a traceable local input supply chain.
The students also explored the opportunities for linking tillage and beef enterprises to deliver mutual benefits.
While just missing out on the overall prize, the girls were awarded two return flights each to a destination of their choice by Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary.
While Carol was also nominated as one of the best five overall speakers at the competition.
Speaking at the ceremony, the judges said: “These three young women bubbled with enthusiasm for this project from the word go.
“Once the calves arrived on the Sheehy Farm, the community of Stradbally and Portlaoise were aware of their presence and the ambition of the girls to communicate how efficiently and sustainably these animals would be reared.
“The school interaction challenged the girls. Many of their school mates constructively enquired as to whether the production system would address their climate concerns.
“Ultimately the girls proved that collaboration between beef and tillage farmers benefitted both sectors and the overall environment.
“Through a lot of hard work, determination and drive, the girls developed an understanding of farming as an occupation and as a business and how these impact on each other.
“Carol and Jill developed further understanding about their parent’s farming lives while Sinead experienced what it is like for a woman to run a farm and raise a family by volunteering to work on the farm of Ireland’s most decorated GAA player, Briege Corkery.
“Through a combination of hard work, focus and genuine interest, these ladies have excelled personally and professionally throughout this competition.”
The Certified Irish Angus Schools’ Competition in association with ABP and Kepak is an initiative that challenges students to rear five Irish Angus Cross calves for 18 months until their slaughter which aids their Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science curriculum.
It aims to promote the Certified Irish Angus Beef brand while communicating the care and attention required to produce quality beef for consumers.
2024 saw the highest ever number of applicants to the initiative, 188 school groups from across the country.
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