Royal visit to Royal County

Princess Anne visits Devenish Dowth farm

Britain's Princess Anne visited the Devenish Lands at Dowth yesterday (Saturday) to hear about the global-agri technology company’s research on climate smart farming, biodiversity, and human health.

The Devenish land at Dowth is an internationally recognised research farm. It is set within the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site. It features Neolithic monuments built over a period of 4,000 - 6,000 years ago by Ireland’s first farming communities.

Devenish executive chairman, Dr Owen Brennan said: “We were delighted to welcome The Princess Royal to our Global Innovation Centre and research farm at Dowth. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to share the work we are doing to develop more sustainable farming and food solutions.”

During the tour of the farm, Princess Anne, who on Friday had made the presentation to Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey, Rachel Blackmore, met with members of the Devenish team including Dr Cornelia Grace and Jane Shackleton who gave an overview of the HeartLand Project. This project is focused on livestock production systems supporting environmental sustainability while producing health promoting food.

The Princess Royal, eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, heard from farmers taking part in the ARCZero project, a European Innovation Partnership. This project measures and manages carbon flows at farm level. Professor Alice Stanton, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Devenish director of human health spoke to The Princess Royal about the value of nutrient-rich animal-sourced foods in healthy sustainable human diets.

The visit also saw the former equestrian review with Dr Ni Lionain the findings at the recently discovered Neolithic passage tomb at Dowth Hall.

Meanwhile, her brother, the Prince of Wales and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall are to visit the Republic of Ireland from 23rd to 25th March.

Prince Charles and Camilla are taking part in the trip as part of celebrations to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Prince Charles and Camilla last visited Ireland in 2019, meeting President Michael D Higgins in County Wicklow. That visit had marked the Prince of Wales' fifth visit to the Republic of Ireland in five years.

He had made a groundbreaking visit to Ireland and Meath in June 1995, paving the way for his mother's eventual visit in May 2011, a landmark in the Irish peace process.

Details on where the royal couple will visit in March have not yet been confirmed.