Katie Gleeson, a dairy farmer from Templemore, Co. Tipperary, did not come from a farming background. Her father was a stonemason and her mother a preschool teacher, but she developed a passion for agriculture after meeting her husband, Phil, with whom she now runs a 150-acre spring-calving, grass-based dairy farm milking around 100 Holstein Friesian cows.
Originally trained as a hairdresser, Katie is now pursuing a BSc in Agricultural Science and Sustainability through Technological University of the Shannon and Gurteen Agricultural College, combining her studies with family and farm life as part of her continued professional development. Outside of farming, she enjoys content creation and community engagement, sharing daily insights from rural life through her popular social media platform @katieinthecountry, and she is actively involved in groups such as Dairy Women Ireland and sustainability initiatives like Field Exchange.
Katie and Phil are raising three young children who are already immersed in the rhythms of farm life, and she often highlights the balance between family, education, and agriculture. Her commitment to environmental stewardship includes responsible grassland management, efficient nutrient use, and practices that promote biodiversity and protect local wildlife. Recognised for her advocacy and communication skills, Katie was named Overall Winner and Marketing/Social Media Ambassador of the Year at the 2025 National Dairy Awards, cementing her reputation as a positive voice for modern, sustainable Irish dairying.
