Greg’s bovine odyssey is in a field of its own
‘I WAS looking for something to do’, says Taghmon man Greg Walsh who has just published a 600-page book on cows, ‘Cattle Breeds in Ireland - A History’, , which had its Dublin launch in the Red Cow Inn (where else!).
The retired farmer, genealogy researcher, author and actor embarked on his bovine odyssey after coming across a beautifully illustrated French book for urban children on the life of cows and he tried unsuccessfully to obtain the illustrations for an English-language edition.
‘I contacted cattle breeding societies with a view to writing a small booklet on cows in Ireland and they said why not consider doing something more elaborate. They more or less prompted me to write a proper book’, said Greg who lives at Coolcull, Taghmon where his family have been farming for more than 230 years.
He was educated at Coláiste ne Rinne, Dungarvan, County Waterford and Clongowes Wood College, Naas, County Kildare and after retiring from farming, he has spent recent years writing on history and genealogy. He has also done some acting and has written four plays that were produced for the stage.
During exhaustive research over the past three and a half years Greg unearthed 41 breeds of cattle and has written full chapters on 28 of them in what he describes as a history of how the various breeds developed in Ireland and where they came from , rather than a technical guide.
As most of the cattle breeds now evident in Ireland, including Charolais, Blonde D’Quitaine and Limousin originated in Europe, especially France. Greg travelled abroad to talk to French, Dutch, Italian, German, Belgian and Norwegian cattle breeding societies and farmers, in an effort to find out who was responsible for starting the link.
He had the opportunity to taste beautiful cheeses being produced by French dairy farmers and not to be outdone, brought with him samples of Irish cheeses such as St. Killian and Cashel Blue. ‘ They’re every bit as good as French cheeeses’, he said, adding knowledgely that there are 100 cheeses being produced in Ireland today.
For centuries, up to the time of Ireland’s entry into the European Union, no cattle would have been allowed into Ireland other than from the United Kingdom and they included well-known breeds such as the Hereford and Shorthorn, Aberdeen Angus and the Jersey, but today the Irish beef industry is dominated by French breeds.
‘What I ended up doing was recording exactly where each breed originated, its early history, developments over the centuries, how the breed made its way to Ireland and how each breed fares in the modern world, both in its cradle and in Ireland’, said Greg whose book begins with the origin of cattle and information on cows in ancient Ireland - they include rare breeds native to the country including the Kerry, Dexter, Irish Moiled and Brindled Cow.
The author said that he owes a debt of gratitude to the ‘ hundreds of people’ who worked with him on the book, from breeders throughout Ireland and Europe to those at the top of academic life in Ireland.
I CONTACTED CATTLE BREEDING SOCIETIES WITH A VIEW TO WRITING A SMALL BOOKLET AND THEY SAID WHY NOT CONSIDER DOING SOMETHING MORE ELABORATE
‘Cattle Breeds in Ireland’ has been given the seal of approval by Seamus Caulfield, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at UCD who performed the Dublin launch in the Red Cow Inn and wrote in the preface: ‘Professionals, be they farmers, historians or pre-historians but also the general public will find this beautifully illustrated book, with its wealth of knowledge, difficult to put down’.
In the foreword, Irish Moiled breeder Sam Smiley of County Down said he spent the early months of 2015 assisting Greg with his researches into the Irish Moiled and their contacts proved ‘a pleasure and a great education’.
‘As breeders I am sure that we are all grateful that he persisted and this outstanding book is testimony to his efforts’, he added.
The book has been self-published by Greg’s Borie Press and is available from the website www.boriepress.ie for €50 a copy, including courier costs to the door of the purchaser.
Greg reckons that his primary market will be cattle breeders but he believes the appeal will be wider than just farming. ‘Noone in Ireland is too far away from the soil’, he said.
A Wexford launch is to be held soon at a venue and time to be announced.