Ursula Kelly
Ambassador
Cormac tagging
Ireland
Economic
Rural Areas
Rural area close to city
The innovation journey
Ursula Kelly is the CEO of Cormac Tagging, an Irish owned agri tech company supplying Department of Agriculture approved animal identification products for cattle, sheep, pigs and goats. She grew up on a West of Ireland farm where farm diversification wasn’t a luxury, it was a necessity. That experience shaped her family’s 30 year commitment to agribusiness and fuels her ambition today.
After a successful career in accountancy, Ursula returned to the business as Director of Operations and later became CEO following a full management buy out of her parents from the company. Based in Tuam, County Galway, Cormac Tagging plays an important role in serving farming across rural Ireland while also supporting rural employment.
The innovation impact
Until 2016, the cattle tag market in Ireland was controlled by a single supplier. Under Ursula’s leadership, Cormac Tagging secured approval to enter the market, giving farmers real choice for the first time. This step transformed the company’s direction and set the stage for continued innovation and long term growth. Cormac Tagging now supply over three million tags annually direct to farms.
Today, Ursula is leading the company into international markets, expanding Irish expertise in animal identification across many countries that are still developing identification systems and technology
Her leadership has been widely recognised. She was named AIB Network Ireland Established Businesswoman of the Year 2024 and the 2025 Image PwC Family Businesswoman of the Year, reflecting both her business achievements and her commitment to rural Ireland.
A passionate advocate for women in agriculture, Ursula speaks regularly at national and European conferences about female leadership, succession, rural innovation, and the future of rural family run enterprises.