In the first batch of Agriland In the Groundbreakers series, we meet a Co. Galway farmer who is passionate about representing women in agriculture and tackling the issues they face.
Leaders of the Land, proudly supported by FBD, highlights the important role of women in agriculture.
The series, which includes articles, videos and podcasts, showcases a number of diverse experiences in light of 2026 being the International Year of Women Farmers.
Issues being examined include innovation and diversification, generational renewal, and the evolving identity of Irish agriculture.
Mona O’Donoghue Concannon farms near Tuam, County Galway.
She is a dairy farmer and milks 40 cows, and also has a suckling herd.
The farm maintains all dairy replacements, and all surplus heifers are sold to farms in Co. Donegal.
He grew up on a farm
Mona grew up on a baby farm in Kinvara and has always been involved.
She said there was no discrimination in terms of gender and who could help – “everyone who was available was brought to the farm.”
“Maybe I was actually a threat to my parents because I always wanted to be involved,” Mona said.
“My father sold potatoes, so we would always go out and deliver them all over the country with him.
“Growing up, I always wanted to be involved in agriculture in some way.”
She ended up marrying farmer Shay in 2009.
Mona takes care of her brother full time. Her brother always loved being on the farm, so a three-way partnership developed between him, Mona, and her husband.
At the time, her husband was working on a dairy farm, and Mona decided to start a suckler herd as well.
Peasant representative
Mona is the Chair of the Women in Agriculture Stakeholder Group (WASG).
Mona’s first introduction to farm acting work was with Macra. She has been on the council for 13 years where she said she has learned a lot about agriculture.
She later joined the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).
The WASG, formed in 2021, brings together representatives of Irish agricultural organisations, including ICSA.
The WASG was founded out of a critical need to address the lack of representation and recognition of women in Irish agricultural policies and organisations.
Mona said she was inspired to start tackling the issues facing women in the sector when she and her husband wanted to formalize their farming partnership, and Mona found that there were “a lot of barriers because I didn’t have a green certificate.”
In trying to overcome this challenge, she said, there were very few answers available.
Herd numbers
Women’s experiences of trying to secure a herd number is one of the main issues for Mona.
Mona said that she has been working with others for years in an attempt to break down the barriers facing women in this sector.
“When we looked at everything, we found that there was very little support available to the average farmer,” Mona says.
“The average farmer is what I am – I don’t have a green certificate, I wake up every morning, and I farm.
“I’ve found that there are a lot of women like me who have caring duties, whether it’s a sibling, a child, a grandparent or a parent.
“We had to know what support was available. We looked at what could make it easier for farmers.”
“Life brings barriers”
Mona said that the International Year of Women Farmers is important to highlight women’s work in this sector.
She said WASG works to “advocate and help these women who are farming, who are just trying to survive, trying to balance kids, running schools, the GAA, and also life.”
“Life brings barriers, and that’s what we want to stand for,” she said.
“We want to find ways to support these women.”
Mona said the group secured a seat on the Joint Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee, which she is “very proud of.”
“We want women’s voices to come to the forefront and be able to bring them to the table – and provide them with what they need,” Mona added.
International Year of Women Farmers
The United Nations has declared 2026 as the International Year of Women Farmers.
This year highlights the essential, yet often unrecognized, roles that women play across agri-food systems.
Women are underrepresented in the agriculture sector.
The Central Statistics Office’s 2023 Farm Structure Survey showed that women represent 13.2% of farm owners in Ireland and 34% of all farm workers.
