The team at Calor Gas has crunched the numbers on several data points for each county in Ireland to compile the ultimate ranking of the best counties in Ireland to start a farm.
The research comes as Google searches for Farming jumped 200% year on year, proving that more people are taking an interest.
Calor Gas notes: "Agriculture, particularly in sectors like dairy and beef, not only sustains thousands of jobs but also drives exports with up to 90% of the country’s dairy, beef and sheep meat being exported each year.
"Make no mistake about it, it’s a tough job but farmers remain the lifeblood of Ireland."
For its study, Calor Gas looked at the availability of listings and acres of agricultural land currently on the market in Ireland, the average annual hours of sunlight and mm of precipitation each county gets, and the amount paid to farms in each county in government grants and schemes.
Each data point was given a weighted score out of 100 and the counties were then ranked by a total score out of 500.
Co Cork took home the crown as the best county to start a farm in Ireland with an index score of 359 out of 500. With 128 listings of agriculturual land currently on the market and over €195 million paid to Farms in government grants and schemes in 2023, ‘the Rebel County’ takes top spot in the rankings.
Placing second in the rankings was Co Galway with an index score of 351. Famous for being the county with the largest Gaeltacht by area, Co Galway boasts over 6,700 available acres of agricultural land and 165 individual listings.
Rounding out the top five best counties to start a farm in Ireland were Co Mayo in third, Co Wexford in fourth, and Co Roscommon in fifth.
On the flip side of the table, Co Dublin placed last in the index, no doubt in part due to its high population density and metropolitan centre limiting the amount of available land but it is amongst the counties with the highest soil fertility.
Perhaps the surprise package in the bottom half of the table is the placement of Co Donegal, with an index score of just 149 out of 500. Known for its scenic landscape and wilderness, ‘the Forgotten County’ is placed in the bottom 10 counties to start a farm with just 62 listings of available agricultural land available on the market.
The best counties in Ireland to start a farm, according to Calor Gas:
The best counties to start a farm in Ireland, according to Calor Gas.