Eugene is the third generation of farmers on which the Skeaghanore Duck business is set upon. Helena was in England, so Eugene made the decision to fly over and spent a few years working on construction sites. When the time came, both made the decision to come home to West Cork. In 1990, Eugene and Helena married and settled on the family farm in Skeaghanore. Eugene’s parents always had poultry on the farm, for their own use growing up.

Eugene now manages a duo – farming method with milking cows all year round, as well as taking care of the duck rearing. He successfully rears delicious duck and Christmas geese for us all to enjoy, maintains the farm and loves his wife.

Grown up in Woodfield, Michael Collins country. Helena grew and spread her wings to study nursing in the Mercy Hospital in Cork city. From a love of nursing Helena flew across the pond to England to train as a midwife. In 1988, both Helena and Eugene moved back from England to West Cork wed in 1990 and started a family of their own.

Work in Skeaghanore is a very different setting to a hospital room, but Helena successfully made the transition and deals with the day to day running of the business. From the distribution, marketing, stock control, accounts and sales.

From 1991, the family starts to grow with the addition of the first son Daniel. Come 1994, Helena is due with their first daughter, Clara. Worried about the income to support their growing family. They saw that there is a gap in the market for poultry other than chicken, people were looking for a good quality Irish duck. From here, the idea grew, they bought in day old, reared them for 7-8 weeks, processed them and travelled from restaurant door to shop door asking people to try their duck. Fields Supervalu were one of the first to take the duck and have always had a strong relationship with good quality food. Even today 23 years on, this relationship still stands strong, and is always one of the first Supervalu we approach try and test new products.

Like we always say, the family grew as the business grew. In 1997 their second daughter Lisa reaches the scenes, now the business is expanding quickly with the ducks taking up more and more room. The addition of their fourth and fifth child, Joseph in 1999 and Eoghan in 2001 the business is a strong competitor in the duck market. Five children, the couple have a strong following to help out with the work load as the years went on.

Daniel from a young age, worked on the farm with Eugene and his grandfather. He always had an interest in the farm and the business, working on the farm in his spare time and summer holidays. He graduated from Cork Institute of Technology with a degree in agriculture in 2014, and currently working on a business masters.

Daniel joined the team once he completed college and helped progress the business to the next stage with Helena and Eugene. Daniel assists in the work and management of the farm and duck business.