Three students from Scoil Chriost Rí in Portlaoise are finalists in the Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition.
Jill Sheehy, Sinead Slevin and Carol Sheehy are representing the Laois school in the prestigious event.
Recently, they visited Kepak’s Kilbeggan facility, where they said goodbye to their five Angus calves and learned how Irish beef is processed for retail.
The students were hosted by Eamon Phelan and Conor Seery from Kepak, gaining valuable insights into the industry.
In the lead-up to the visit, Principal Mr Smyth and Ag- Science teachers took a visit to the Sheehy’s farm to see the hard work that the girls had put in rearing their animals.
The students then hosted an agricultural day for Transition Year students, to give all students an insight into the Agri Industry, promoting this prestigious school’s competition featuring inspiring speakers.
Former competition winner Shauna Jager shared her journey in agriculture, while Elena Hayes from Vista Milk spoke about educational pathways at UCD and UL.
Sarah McIntosh from The Farmers Journal highlighted diverse careers in agriculture, sharing her own challenges and triumphs.
The day also included personal stories from the finalists. Carol discussed her work experience on her home farm, while Sinead spoke about her time working on the dairy farm of 17-time All-Ireland-winning Cork player Briege Corkery.
With the competition soon comes to a close, these students are excited about the opportunities ahead, confident that their experiences will set them up for successful careers in agriculture.
As the competition heads toward its final on March 7, 2025, the students reflected on how the experience has been invaluable in shaping their future careers.
They described it as a life-changing opportunity, offering skills and knowledge for their professional growth.
Keep an ear out on Scoil Chriost Ri podcast “Scoil Chriost Ri Pod” where the girls will be featuring in the next episode.
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