About Us - Ballylisk of Armagh

About Us

Everything we do is about staying true. The Ballylisk honest approach to how our products are made has been with the Wright family for centuries.

Our family has been farming in Ballylisk in Armagh since 1820. Dean is the fifth generation to work the land and the first generation to make cheese.

William Wright (pictured seated) started off with just two acres in 1820. His son James (pictured with his wife and child) took over from him. By the time Dean’s grandfather Henry came along he was farming 60 acres. This was a mixed farm with cattle, sheep and crops. Dean’s father James Henry (Jim) carried on with the mixed farming on what was then more than 100 acres. The breeds were traditional Friesians, Angus and Hereford.

Dean has a background in the meat industry. He started to work with his father in 2006. While continuing on with the mixed farming, he became interested in making cheese in 2015.

He sought the expertise of dairy technologists Gary Andrews, Paddy Kelly and John Dooey at Loughry College’s Food Technology Centre in Cookstown, Country Tyrone.

"The depth of knowledge and experience from the Loughry team was invaluable on this journey."

- Dean Wright

Quality

Dean Wright took that expertise from Loughry College and built on it. Dean has spent years perfecting his cheesemaking.

He makes it every day. He talks about it. He works on new ones. He even thinks about it in his sleep!

Every single cheese has to be spot–on.

Food Chain

Ballylisk cheese is part of a food chain which begins and ends in Ballylisk. The grass is eaten by the cows. Their milk makes the cheese. There is much more we are going to do with that milk and its by–products. Watch out for what will we make with the whey!

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