The Friendly Farmer is a free-range poultry supplier in Ireland. Ronan Byrne rears free-range turkeys and geese on the farm at Knockbrack, Athenry, Co. Galway — birds that roam open pastures during the day, rest on deep straw bedding and are fed a wholesome diet of grain and barley. If you run a restaurant, hotel or food business and are looking for a poultry supplier in Ireland, we would love to hear from you.
Supplying Ireland’s Restaurants & Hotels
Our produce is trusted by Ireland’s top chefs. Our farm has been supplying the 5-star Merrion Hotel in Dublin with Bronze Turkeys for their Thanksgiving and Christmas menus for over ten years, and our Bronze Turkeys feature on the Christmas menus of some of the best-known kitchens in the West of Ireland:
- The Merrion Hotel, Dublin
- The Kings Head, Galway City
- Thyme Restaurant, Athlone
- Gather, Tuam, Co. Galway
- Glenlo Abbey, Galway
- Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare
- The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Cong, Co. Mayo
- Ballynahinch Castle, Connemara, Co. Galway
Free-Range, Farm-Reared Poultry
Everything we supply is reared on our own farm in Athenry, County Galway. Our birds enjoy a life far removed from factory farming: they roam freely across open pastures during the day and relax on deep, cosy straw bedding indoors when they need a rest. The distinctive Bronze Turkeys — named for their unique feather tint — are reared with care to deliver the rich flavour and farm-fresh quality our produce is known for.
Wholesale Free Range Chicken Ireland
Alongside our seasonal turkeys and geese, we supply wholesale free range chicken to restaurants, hotels, gastropubs and food businesses across Ireland. Our chickens are reared the same way as our Christmas birds — slowly, on open pasture at Knockbrack, Athenry — which gives a fuller-flavoured bird with proper texture that holds its own on any menu. Whether you need a steady weekly supply or birds for a one-off event, we can tailor volumes and delivery to suit your kitchen. Get in touch below for trade prices and availability.
How Our Wholesale Free-Range Chicken Supply Works
Sourcing wholesale free range chicken in Ireland usually means choosing between consistency and provenance. Because our chicken is reared on our own farm at Knockbrack, Athenry, you get both: every bird comes from the same open pastures, reared to the same standard, week in and week out. Chefs know exactly where the chicken on their menu was raised and can say so to their customers — a single family farm in County Galway, not an anonymous processor.
Free-range rearing makes a real difference in the kitchen, too. Birds that roam open pasture by day and rest on deep straw bedding, fed a wholesome diet of grain and barley, grow more slowly than intensively reared chicken. That slower growth gives a fuller-flavoured bird with firmer texture — chicken that stands up to roasting, poaching or braising and carries a dish rather than disappearing into it.
We work with kitchens of every size across Ireland, from 5-star hotels to neighbourhood gastropubs and cafés. Some need a steady weekly order; others want birds for a festival menu, a wedding or a one-off event. Volumes and delivery are tailored to each kitchen, and for seasonal orders we also offer easy collection points in Galway City, Gort, Ennis, Castlebar and Athlone.
If you are comparing wholesale free-range chicken suppliers in Ireland, talk to the chefs already using our produce — our farm has supplied the 5-star Merrion Hotel in Dublin for over ten years, and our birds feature in some of the best-known kitchens in the West of Ireland. To discuss trade availability and delivery for your kitchen, get in touch through our contact page and tell us what you need.
Delivery & Collection
We supply direct from the farm at Athenry, Co. Galway, with easy collection points in Galway City, Gort, Ennis, Castlebar and Athlone for seasonal orders. For trade and wholesale supply, delivery arrangements are agreed directly with each kitchen.
Trade & Wholesale Enquiries
If you would like The Friendly Farmer’s free-range poultry on your menu, get in touch via our contact page and tell us about your kitchen and requirements. You can also learn more about the farm.