Three Cork winners at inaugural festival on biodiversity and sustainability

As part of the event, the RDS hosted a series of awards which celebrate the work of individuals, farm families and organisations who are enhancing the economic, environmental, and social development of Irish agriculture and rural communities.

Mallow Castle Demense Town Park won the RDS Community Woodlands Award.

The Community Woodlands Award is designed to encourage and reward projects involving the communal ownership and/or management of forests and woodlands which have been established and managed in a sustainable way that is beneficial to the local economy and/or environment.

Bo Rua Farm, Ballynoe won the RDS Sustainable Rural Enterprise Award, while Midleton company Jim and Frampton Jeffery made it a hat-trick of awards for Cork as they captured the RDS-Sheep Ireland LambPlus Award at the inaugural awards event.

Mallow Castle Demense and Town Park is 88 acres of woodlands and parks nestled in the heart of the town.

Cork County Council has undertaken significant native tree planting and biodiversity works in the grounds to build upon the historic planting already in place.

The local authority aims to create a natural outdoor amenity for the community to enjoy, while promoting local biodiversity.

The judges said Mallow Castle Demense and Town Park is ‘attracting’ hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. “When Cork County Council decided to buy Mallow Castle and its estate in 2011, they could have simply carried out renovations on the castle and put in a few extra paths though the park and there would have been a fine amenity created.

“They decided, however, to implement a hugely ambitious plan which involved a lot of work on creation of new woodland, and the management of existing woodland. They now have a town park which is attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year to an amenity which is right in the heart of the town,” the judges added.

Bo Rua Farm is where sustainable farming and food are top priorities.

By diversifying their dairy farm Tom and Norma Dinneen, the couple behind Bo Rua, have embarked on a journey into farmhouse cheesemaking, utilising milk from their Montbeliarde and Friesian cows.

Their commitment to quality and sustainability defines the farm's ethos, reflecting their heritage and deep respect for the land.

The Finding Common Ground Festival incorporated presentations and panel discussions exploring how Ireland can harness the benefits of our natural resources and the circular economy with a view to creating increased awareness, education, and identification of solutions to act on.