AN audio version of Dr John P Crowley’s book on the history of Bandon Co-Op (A Community Bridging the 20th Century) will be launched in Bandon on Thursday, October 24th.
Irish agriculture lost a pioneering figure with the death earlier this year, aged 90, of Dr JP (Seán) Crowley, former general manager of South Western Cattle Breeding Society and the Cattle Breeding Division of Dairygold.
His book on Bandon Co-Op, first written and published in 2010, the launch takes place in the Munster Arms Hotel in Bandon at 8pm, and Tim Crowley from the Michael Collins Centre Museum will be the guest speaker on the night.
Dr John sadly passed away earlier this year. His library of books on local history will be presented to Cumann Seanchais na Banndan on the night.
Born in Old Chapel, Bandon to an established milling family, Sean distinguished himself academically while a boarder at Farranferris, Cork City where he also proved a talented hurler. Here, Seán established keen lifelong interests in the Irish language and history as well as the foundation for his strong Catholic faith.
Seán excelled at veterinary studies at UCD and was awarded medals in clinical medicine and in surgery. Friends and family expected Seán to return to West Cork to practice as a vet. Instead, he took the unusual step of returning to UCD to obtain a second degree with first class honours in agriculture, while simultaneously working at a veterinary practice in north Dublin.
In 1959, Seán joined the Animal Production Division of An Foras Talúntais, the state institute for agricultural research (now Teagasc), rising rapidly to the position of principal research officer and head of animal physiology. He was awarded a PhD in animal physiology at Trinity College Dublin in 1966 and published widely in scientific journals.
It was while studying management at Harvard Business School in 1968 that Seán became convinced of the urgent need for the modernisation of Irish dairying and, in particular, the need for improved breeding practices.
Following study trips to Australia and New Zealand, in 1974 he took up the position of general manager of the South Western Cattle Breeding Society, a cooperative Artificial Insemination (AI) Station owned by the five nearest cooperative societies of Bandon, Barryroe, Dairygold, Drinagh, and Lisavaird, and headquartered in his home town of Bandon. Seán quickly made his mark and commenced an ambitious programme of expansion of services to farmers which included farm accounts, taxation, soil sampling, relief milking, land leasing, and forestry, among other activities.
A quiet visionary, Seán pursued his strategy with determination to improve dairy production standards both regionally in Munster and on a national scale. His unique mixture of ambition and tact brought people and organisations together united by common goals. He was central to the formation of the Munster Cattle Breeding Group, now Munster Bovine, and the Irish Dairy Records Co-op (IDRC), and he was appointed to senior positions on bodies including the Irish AI Managers Association as well as the Cork Committees of Agriculture and Animal Health.
The IDRC was a particularly significant achievement as a cooperative which united 27 organisations representing the Irish dairy industry. IDRC collated production data and practice nationwide to achieve improved quality and production in dairying and now operates as the thriving Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
Dedicated always to the cooperative ideal, Seán was awarded the Plunkett Award for Cooperative Endeavour in 1982. His abilities in strategy and policy development were recognised and deployed as a board member of Coillte, the national semi-state forestry company, serving as deputy chairman, for two terms and also as chairman of Foras na Mara, the state agency responsible for marine research development and innovation. Throughout his career, he gave generously of his time and expertise to a large number of boards, expert groups and advisory bodies in the development of Irish agriculture and its natural resources, always willing to serve and never seeking attention for his contribution.
Outside of his professional interests and commitments, Seán was actively involved in a range of community, education and religious bodies. His History of Bandon Co-op, published in 2010 and about to be released in audio form, is a work of social history in itself. Sean was active in the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and in local school, historical, and GAA organisations. He practiced his Catholic faith to the end.
Born in 1933, he died on February 28th, 2024. Seán was the beloved husband of the late Fionnuala (nee O’Donovan) and father of the late Anne. He is survived by his children Róisín, Tadhg, Conor, Diarmuid, and by 13 grandchildren.
• Obituary provided by Róisín Crowley and Tadhg Crowley and John Fitzgerald (son-in-law).
