Clare vet awarded prestigious research scholarship from major organisation

A Clare man is one of five people to have recieved a prestigious Nuffield Ireland Scholarship, set to commence in the New Year.

Nuffield Ireland’s mission is to discover, inspire and support people to develop their capacity, character and confidence in promoting positive change and world class leadership in agriculture, food and farming.

Among the recipients is John Donlon, a veterinary surgeon from Tulla, who has been chosen to take part in the two-year leadership programme.

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John is a veterinary surgeon specialising in cattle health and welfare with a focus on calves.

He received his veterinary degree from UCD in 2018, and has completed a production animal internship at the Royal Veterinary College and later a PhD at University College Dublin (UCD) on housing and calf pneumonia.  

Donlon has also worked with Teagasc to improve animal health in the dairy calf-to-beef sector and is a member of the Progressive Veterinary Network, co-authoring a landmark paper on veterinary workforce retention.

Earlier this year, he joined Atlantic Technological University (ATU) as a lecturer, contributing to the launch of Ireland’s new veterinary school. 

John’s chosen topic for his Nuffield Scholarship research  is 'stopping the brain drain: retaining young veterinary professionals in rural Irish communities'.   

The scholarship is a part of Nuffield International, a valuable global network which includes Nuffield organisations in eight countries.

Selected alongside Donlon are: Conor Hogan a beef farmer and leader of the People in Dairy Programme in Lorrha Co. Tipperary, Paula McCooey a poultry specialist from Scotstown Co. Monaghan, Kenny McCauley founder of McCauley Wood Fuels Ltd in Mohill Co. Leitrim and David Scallan a fourth-generation dairy farmer from Ballymurn Co. Wexford.

The newly chosen 2026 Nuffield Scholars will conduct their research over the next two years before returning to present their findings at the 2027 Nuffield Ireland Conference. 

Grainne Dwyer, Nuffield Ireland Chair on the scholarships: “We are delighted to welcome these five new Scholars to Nuffield Ireland’s community of agricultural leaders. Their timely research topics will help us to identify yet more practical solutions to the many challenges in Irish agriculture.”