Given that we both met while working in Agriculture and it’s still a large part of life living in the country, a trip to an Open Farm is always going to appeal to us. So when the Catriona invited us down to visit Leahy’s Open Farm in Dongourney just outside Middleton, Co. Cork we LEPT at the chance. It’s somewhere we had heard lots about as it’s a really popular place with families all around Cork and further afield. Never ones to let a little wind and rain deter us we headed down the first weekend in February to check it out.
Leahy’s Open Farm was set up by Eileen and Eddie around 20 years ago. They were involved in dairying and pigs and then diversified the farm opening the farm coffee shop first. Things took off from there and the animals diversified as did the farm. Leahy’s is so quintessentially Irish it’s a delight to experience, it brings the new elements such as a maze and JCB’s and the old elements of years gone by together in one place.
First off you visit the farm museum which is filled with so many items that were really fascinating for our girls having never really seen anything like it before. There’s an old school room, an old shop, an old bar and everything from Pennyfarthings to vintage cookers.
Then it’s out past the Crannog and the Leprechauns to visit the wooden obstacle course and the maze which we didn’t get a chance to get around because it was just too cold and wet. The big lady is rather reserved so the farm train (made using old plastic barrels!), the JCB’s and the drop slide just weren’t her thing this time round.
We made for the shelter of the petting farm and ‘Matt the Farmer’ showed us guinea pigs and rabbits, let us hold a mouse and Henrietta (the hen obviously!) and even touch a snake (I opted out of that one!). The petting area has lots of really unusual birds and two really impressive peacocks. We then went on past the big Clydesdale horse to feed the energetic goats and the sheep.
After that we took to wandering around the old farmyard which is such a treat, behind the most random of doors and around every corner you’ll find something from the olden days of farming; from Eileen and Eddie’s old homeplace, the old fire engine, the carpenters shed and the big snoring pig. You sort of stumble upon The Farmers Funhouse that has these really old fashioned indoor go kart area that is both deceptively hilarious and difficult! There are magic mirrors, a large twister, hoop throwing and load of vintage arcade rides. 
At this stage we were ready to warm up a little so we headed inside to the coffee shop which also houses The Play Barn, an indoor play area, perfect to keep even the smallest of ladies busy up until lunch lands on the table. The coffee is lovely and the food was delicious, the homemade soup and brown bread was really nice and sure it wouldn’t be a treat out if the ladies didn’t get (a fine sized portion!) of chips and sausages.
All in all, Leahy’s Open Farm is a fabulous spot, a real down to earth, honest to goodness day out for the whole family. We were there for just under 4 hours and at that we didn’t get to a good few of the outdoor attractions. Take the day, go and have fun there, you’ll learn lots, you’ll laugh lots, and hopefully you’ll have very tired and very happy children like we did on the way home. I also want to thank Catriona for inviting us down and we were both hugely impressed with the initiative she is showing by working hard to add new elements of PR down there as she heads into Leaving Cert with her eye on a career in marketing and PR.
