Phil Hogan cuts ribbon as new 'advanced automation' farm business opens in Kilkenny

Former EU Commissioner Phil Hogan officially opened Lely Center Kilkenny on Friday in Castlecomer, marking a significant milestone in bringing advanced automation solutions to farmers in the South-East of Ireland.

The new business centre, located behind Tirlan in Castlecomer Business Park, covers Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, and South Tipperary. The event saw a strong turnout of invited customers, finance companies, agri-media, and agricultural companies from across the region.

Mr Hogan praised the company’s investment in the region and highlighted its commitment to aftersales support, which he described as ‘critical to the long-term success of farmers adopting automation’. Cutting the ribbon, he further emphasised the positive impact these technologies could have on animal health and farm sustainability.

Michael O’Grady, General Manager of Lely Kilkenny; Niall McGauran, founder; Phil Hogan, Former EU Commissioner; and Alan Heaney, founder,  in the new Lely Kilkenny boardroom  
“Labour is a major constraint, and making farming more attractive for the next generation has never been more important,” said Mr Hogan.

Founded in 2012 by Alan Heaney and Niall McGauran, the business now employs 55 people and supports nearly 700 Lely Astronaut robotic milking systems, along with a full range of automated feeding and manure solutions.

"Our services include farmyard design, farm management advice, project coordination, machine installation, and ongoing customer support,” Mr Heaney said.

Michael O’Grady, General Manager for Lely Kilkenny, said the goal has always been to help farmers work smarter, not harder.
“We’re dedicated to providing the best in farm automation and comprehensive support to ensure the long-term success of our customers,” he said. “We’ve invested heavily in our staff by adding additional service technicians, farm management support, and project coordinators to improve our overall offering.”

Phil Hogan addresses attendees
Niall McGauran emphasised: “We are committed to the region and supporting our customers in their adoption to Lely automation.”

As labour shortages on farms continue to challenge, automation is increasingly seen as essential, with Mr O’Grady expecting it to double in the coming years. Lely’s robotic milking systems allow cows to follow their natural routines, eating when they want and getting milked on their terms. This can improve animal welfare and also boosts productivity. Automated feeding (Lely Vector) and cleaning systems (Lely Discovery and Lely Collector) further reduce workloads, increase efficiency, and offer farmers more flexibility to spend time with family or pursue other interests.

Chris Murphy from Lely Atlantic added: “Adoption of automation across Ireland and the UK is steadily growing. Lely continues to innovate with groundbreaking technologies such as the Lely Zeta animal behaviour monitoring system and the Lely Exos Robotic Zero Grazer.”

The Lely team expressed their gratitude to the farming community for their continued support and looks forward to assisting even more farmers from their new Castlecomer base. “Farm automation is expected to double in the coming years,” said Mr O’Grady.
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