Connacht Tribune
Galway family thrives after life-changing relocation to France
A Galway family who ‘upped sticks’ to France to carve out a new life on the land in a move which proved such a success, they are now diversifying into the farm holiday business.
Locals in Eyrecourt had mixed views when Declan Gardiner and his wife Emily decided thirteen years ago that they were taking their young family to France where they intended purchasing a 300 acre farm which came with a 300 Charolais herd.
Declan and Emily sold their house and nine acres in Eyrecourt – to effectively cut their ties and make them focus on their new life – and move to the Nouhant region which is around 230 miles directly south of Paris.
Since 2006 they have developed the farm, purchased a new holding, increased his Charolais and Limousin herd and they are now farming 1,250 acres of land.
The couple moved with their three children Luke, William and Laura who were twelve, eleven and seven at the time.
They attended local French schools and while it proved extremely difficult for them initially, they are now fluent speakers in the language 13 years on.
Now in his mid-twenties, Luke worked in Amsterdam but is now back in Ballinasloe in the concrete manufacturing business; William (24) is in Clarmont in France where he is involved in the manufacture of cosmetics (Celine Dion is a customer) while 20 year old Laura is spending a year in Australia.
“She is the real farmer in the family,” admits Declan.
Declan and Emily Gardiner at their adopted home in central France.
Prior to them leaving, Declan, who was 41 at the time, has been rearing pure bred Limousin bulls for the previous 15 years as well as being employed as a fitter in Galmoy Mines in Kilkenny and just before his move, he had around 150 of a herd.
Emily, originally from Birr, County Offaly, worked in Chanelle Pharmaceuticals in Loughrea.
Declan admits that the first two years were difficult and a few doubts crept in during that period. Language was a main barrier and trying to get things done in the development of the farm also had its obstacles.
Having spoken to other people from both Ireland and England who had sold up and moved lock, stock and barrel to France, he was tempted by the idea and went in search of a farm of land.
He was quite surprised to discover that good agricultural land can be purchased from around €1,000 to €1,400 an acre – in parts of County Galway in 2006 reasonable quality land has achieved in excess around €20,000 an acre at the time.
In Ireland they owned a house and nine acres of land and were renting a 100 acre farm, where they had built up a pedigree Limousin herd.
But since moving to their new farm in central France they have increased their cattle herd and cereal production and since 2009 were milking 200 goats but have recently and reluctantly ceased this enterprise mainly due to the lack of availability of farm hands, particularly at weekends.
“It was turning over €40,000 clear profit alone,” Declan said.
Declan Gardiner with his Charolais cows.
In more recent times, the Gardiners have developed a unique farm holiday business which involves guests occupying the four houses on their farm to get away from it all and have a hands on experience on the farm at the same time.
It has proved hugely popular with Irish tourists who want to experience the French farming way of life and have no problem with getting ‘down and dirty’ to achieve this.
But the Gardiners have also had guests from Germany, England, Holland, Switzerland and as far away as Dubai and Thailand.
Depending on the work that the guests contribute on the farm, it is reflected on the cost of their stay at the end of the holiday.
“We had a retired couple who stayed three months on holiday and worked on the farm as well,” Declan added.
And indeed it is Declan’s intention to try something similar himself. His plan, over the next couple of years, is to travel to Pennsylvania in the States to work on farms operated by the Amish community.
He has only been home to Ireland four times since he left while Emily travels at least twice a year – but they are as determined as ever to live out their lives in France.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
