Meet The Farmers
Cathal and Michelle
We’re Cathal and Michelle, a husband-and-wife team who bought some land and moved to Fanad in 2020 to start Mulroy Meadow Farm. We run the farm using regenerative, science-led practices, with a strong focus on soil health, biodiversity, and producing food that people can genuinely trust. Education is a big part of what we do, and we really enjoy sharing what we’re learning with farmers, growers, and anyone interested in how food is grown and how looking after the soil leads to better food for everyone.​​ ​Together, we are working to improve how food is grown, protect the soil that sustains us, and contribute to a healthier, more sustainable future.​
I'm Cathal and I grew up on my grandfather’s farm, an experience that has shaped my lifelong connection to land and food production. I hold a BSc in Environmental Science with Marine Studies and a Level 6 Certificate in Agriculture, alongside a varied working background that includes carpentry, locksmithing, and surf coaching.
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Before buying the farm, I worked in a range of scientific roles, including time at sea as part of the scientific crew aboard the Irish research vessel Celtic Explorer and with the Marine and Fisheries Division of DAERA in Northern Ireland. This combination of practical and scientific experience continues to influence how I view land management, ecosystems, and long-term resilience.
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I now work full time on Mulroy Meadow Farm, focusing on regenerative land management, grazing systems, and building healthy, biologically active soils. My approach centres on soil health, biodiversity, and understanding the farm as a connected living system rather than a set of isolated parts.
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Alongside day-to-day farm work, I'm passionate about education and knowledge-sharing, and enjoy hosting farm tours and courses that help people better understand regenerative farming and how working with natural systems can be both productive and practical.
I’m Michelle, I work on the farm full time and am currently completing a Master’s in Biological and Organic Agriculture. I previously trained and worked as a community pharmacist, and that background shaped how I think about health. Over time, my focus shifted from clinical care to prevention — I’m particularly interested in the role food quality and farming systems play in long-term health.
I trained in Korean Natural Farming (KNF) with Tom Stack and the team at Natural Farming Ireland These principles now underpin how we manage the farm, guiding our focus on soil biology, microbial life, and building fertility without synthetic inputs.
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Working on the farm alongside my studies has deepened my interest in the direct links between soil health, food production, and plant, animal, and human wellbeing. This has grown into a commitment not only to farming biologically, but also to educating others about where their food comes from and why it matters. My main areas of work are soil biology, biological inputs, and the market garden.
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Watching our two young children grow up on the farm has made this work deeply personal — becoming a parent was the catalyst for my career change and opened my eyes to how closely the way we treat our land is tied to the food system and future we leave them.
Find out about our produce here.
