We grew up next door to each other and never really found the need to move too far from this beautiful part of the world called Streedagh. It is now home to our three mighty little men, as well as the business we call Atlantic Sheepdogs. All of this would not be possible but for Martin’s parents aka “Granny and Grandad” (Eileen and Eugene), who put both heart and soul into the farm and land here over the past 85 years. Their family farms had passed through the generations to them and we are now lucky enough to be guardians of the land for our time.
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1930
Family Heritage
Eileen (Martin’s mother) was born in Streedagh and the old homehouse is still to be spotted peeping through the trees here at Atlantic Sheepdogs. The family farmed sheep and some cows on the land there.
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1930
Benbulben’s Watch
Eileen’s farm in Streedagh is watched over by the gently rolling tabletop of Benbulben Mountain, where Eugene’s family (Martin’s father) traditionally farmed their sheep.
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1940
Mountain Routines
In the 1940s, as a young boy, Eugene would cycle the 8 kilometres to the base of Benbulben Mountain each morning. From there, he would climb the mountain, check the sheep and return the journey – all before school!
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1950
Eileen and Eugene
Like so many of their peers, Eileen and Eugene left Ireland for England during their teenage years. Eugene would serve his time there as a carpenter and Eileen trained as a nurse. They returned to Ireland to make their home in Streedagh, but not before Eugene would get his first taste of Sheepdog Trialling – in Hyde Park, London of all places! Photo of a young Eileen and Eugene added to Google Drive.
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1980
Sheepdog Triumphs
In a bid to make farming the mountain easier, Eugene set about learning how to train border collies. He quickly fell into the world of competing at Sheepdog Trials and has won pretty much every Trial in the book since.
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1994
Generational Passion
This passion for sheepdog handling transcended the generations and so, when the week’s farm work would be done, Martin and Eugene would spend their Sundays competing at sheepdog trials around Ireland.
The Annual International Young Sheepdog Handler competition selects the best handler up to 25 years of age. Martin became the youngest ever handler to win this competition, aged just 11 years. To this day, Martin’s young handler record remains unbroken. -
2000
Martin and Trish
Martin didn’t go far to meet Trish – just next door! We married in 2012 and, while sheep took second place to Eugene’s passion for working with sheepdogs; Martin and Trish set about developing the farm. Now, at peak summer season, the Feeney farm is home to a flock of over 1700 sheep and lambs. In the years that followed, along came our three mighty little men who now also have this beautiful place to call “home”.
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2014
Sheepdog Showcase Origins
In 2014, a Dutch tour guide enquired at Sligo Tourist Office in the hope of his group experiencing some sheepdogs in action in Sligo. A neighbour, working there at the time, thought of Martin and asked would he like to welcome the group out to the farm to showcase the dogs in action. From this small request, a big dream was awoken with the birth of Atlantic Sheepdogs. Since then, Atlantic Sheepdogs has blossomed into a multi-award winning tourist attraction.
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2018
Sheepdog handlers
The Annual International Young Sheepdog Handler competition selects the best handler up to 25 years of age. Martin became the youngest ever handler to win this competition, aged just 11 years. To this day, Martin’s young handler record remains unbroken.
