Honour for top Aughrim forestry entrepreneur

AUGHRIM farmer, Michael Hyde, was honoured at the recent Ploughing Championships in Laois by Forestry Services Ltd. (FSL) for his contribution to the timber industry over the past 50 years.

A mixed farmer, Michael planted his first 25 acres back in 1959 on some scrub land before expanding his operation significantly in the 1970s with Lodgepole Pine and Sitka Spruce plantations.

He also set up and developed a timber mill for fencing stakes, posts and rails for local farmers as well as the general public, that is now one of the leading sawmills for livestock farmers in the region.

The mill today, not only sells treated timber fencing stakes, posts and rails, but now also provides wood chips for the increasing solid fuel boiler market.

Michael, along with his wife Anne, now have two of their five sons running the farm and sawmill businesses  for them. Anthony runs the livestock farm with single suckler Limousin herd while David runs their very successful sawmill and timber business.