Ursula Kelly
Ambassador
Cormac tagging
Ireland
Economic
Rural Areas
Rural area close to city
The innovation journey
Ursula Kelly is the second generation in ‘Cormac Tagging’ Irish owned family business. This company is a Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine-approved supplier of cattle, pig, sheep, and goat identification products.
Following a successful career in accountancy, Ursula became the Director of Operations of Cormac Tagging, which is based in Tuam, County Galway and plays a vital role in catering to the needs of farming communities at local, regional, and national levels. In addition to this, its operations contribute significantly to employment in the region.
The innovation impact
As of 2015, the cattle tag market in Ireland was controlled by a single supplier approved by the Department of Agriculture. With Ursula as Director of Operations, Cormac Tagging made a successful application to become an approved cattle tag supplier by the Department, providing farmers in Ireland with alternative product options in the market. The diversification not only broadened Cormac Tagging’s product offerings but also opened up new avenues for growth thereby also increasing employment opportunities for the region.
After entering the cattle tag market in December 2016, the business grew by 1200% by 2022, with a 99.2% customer retention rate during this period. Cormac Tagging was recognised by AIB as a benefit for both Ireland’s national dairy and beef herds, with Ursula being named as a finalist in the Irish Strategic Growth Award in a female-led enterprise category at the National Women in Enterprise Awards in 2018. Ursula has joined forces with Censortec and Alfco Farm Services in a strategic partnership to offer Irish cattle farmers the complete solution in animal monitoring, auto drafting and identification.