Baaahhhhhhhhhhh said the sheep

In 2012 I have the opportunity to spend several weeks in Ireland.  The beautiful scenery, abundant and humbling history and the chatty and welcoming people made this trip better than I could have ever imagined.  Of all the places I explored, one of my absolute favorites was the Kissane Sheep Farm.  This farm has been in the family of John Kissane for over 150 years and is home to over 1,000 sheep.  I fell in love with the farm and upon talking more with John, I found myself captivated by his story.  

Ireland’s sheep farms are heavily subsidized by the European Union.  The income of average sheep farmer in Ireland is approximately €12,000 annually and for most farms, subsidies account for more than 50% of that income.  Due to changing European regulations, increasing food and medical costs, and declining prices of lambs and wool, it is less economically viable to raise sheep in the traditional way – but why? 

The globalization of Ireland’s economy has played a major role in the deviation from traditional farming.  Sheep farming was once a highly honored tradition and occupation but is now viewed as a risky and unprofitable endeavor. Sweaters, socks and blankets were the most commonly produced woolen goods and since locals were only able to make enough for themselves, an export industry was virtually non-existent at one time. However, in the 1890s, the British government pushed to improve local industries in Ireland by encouraging large scale textile production.  Because of this the wool industry grew dramatically but deteriorated in the first half of the 19th century when the linen industry outpaced its growth and demand for exports dramatically decreased. 

Today a majority of the wool from John’s flock is shipping off to France where it isn’t used to make clothing, rugs or other household goods.  The wool is actually worth more to many other countries for its lanolin that is used in many cosmetic and skin care products.  What was remarkable to me about my conversation with John is that I had been in the market for a handmade Irish wool sweater.  As he was telling me about how his wool is exported, all I could picture were the dozens of sweaters I had pondered purchasing over the last few days that had tags detailing that the wool came from some other place besides Ireland.  

Ireland is one of the most globalized economies in the world and was once referred to as the Celtic Tiger.  During this Celtic Tiger boom, Ireland went from being one of the poorest countries in the EU to one of the richest.  As Ireland offers one of the world’s lowest corporate tax rates, it has attracted many large multinational corporations such as Google, Amazon, and Pfizer to set up shop and helped to create many jobs.  That led to prosperity and caused a housing boom similar to the U.S. that eventually blew up, taking down the housing market and the banking system.

In 2008, it became apparent that the Celtic Tiger was dead and recession was setting in.   GDP was falling, unemployment was increasing and real estate prices were falling at an alarming rate.  In 2010, Ireland was forced to seek multi-billion dollar loans from the IMF and EU and in 2011, Ireland’s bonds were downgraded by Moody’s and labeled as junk bonds.  Ack!

The story of the Celtic Tiger is complicated but fascinating.  Whenever I walked into a pub or restaurant, the locals were always quick to discover that I was a tourist and not just any tourist but an American tourist.  The Irish have such a profound history and when you couple that with their gift for gab, you find yourself in deep conversations with a community that accepts your presence with open arms.  Just like in the U.S., banks and politicians were blamed for the Irish recession but one key learning emerged for me – the Irish were dealing with the economic turmoil in it a much different way than we were.  Community and culture preservation are a daily focus for the Irish and because of that, they are a phenomenally resilient group of people.  For hundreds of years, Ireland has been plagued with war, family and disease and at one time, Ireland’s largest export was its people.  These key events have made the Irish who they are and after my trip, I had a whole new outlook on the global economy and the importance of local living economies.  

John is diversifying his business to keep it alive. At Kissane Sheep Farm, you can Adopt-A-Sheep and help preserve the more classic Irish heritage of family farming or you can simply stop by for a tour that includes a sheep herding demonstration and shearing demonstration.  If you’re ever in the Ring of Kerry, I highly suggest making the stop and having a conversation that will be deep and meaningful with John and his family.  You won’t regret it!