How it all started

A Little History


Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese have been making cheese since 2004 at our Farm in Stoneyford Co Kilkenny. Our first creations began in the Kitchen with some cow’s milk from a local farmer. We soon became fascinated with Goat’s cheese and began to use the best quality goats milk from the certified herd of Hugh Daniels, a local farmer. Hugh had only a handful of goats to begin with but as the demand for goats cheese was growing, so to did Hugh’s herd. He now milks over a hundred goats which Knockdrinna converts into its now widening range of goat’s cheeses.
In 2007, Knockdrinna Meadow, a ewe’s milk cheese was introduced to the range, as a response to customer demand for ewe’s cheese. This cheese is made from Milk sourced from Henry Clifton Brown of Crozier and has proved enormously popular.

In 2008 we took over the production of Lavistown cheese from Olivia `Goodwillie, the original maker. This well established cow’s milk Caerphilly style cheese again has held its place as many people’s old favourite, and is now well established under the Knockdrinna banner.
2009 brings us to some more new projects with the diversification into whey fed pigs and other farm products, which we will sell directly from our farm shop. We are delighted with this development and it now gives us more opportunities to integrate our own farm activity with the cheese making enterprise. We see ourselves as food producers, and are now looking at our farm as being in a position to produce whatever food local customers are demanding, The new developments are thanks to our wonderful loyal customers who have encouraged us into these new ventures and are as excited as we are about what new Knockdrinna products are going to come on stream.

2010 Saw our first birthday in the Farm Shop and along with it the launch of our Cafe!! This is a place where you can come and sample our home cooked menus, using all home or locally produced products, many of which are available for purchase in the shop itself.
 Whether you just fancy calling in for coffee and a cake or its a spot of tasty lunch your looking for then our cafe is the place to be.
This year we have opened up the farm at the back of the shop to enable all our lovely customers to meet our resident animals in the pet farm. This is a space where children can come and pet the animals and maybe help with feeding time. We have Tom and Jerry our kid goats, Louise our giant Flemish Rabbit along with snowdrop and snowflake her white bunny friends, Naomi and Claudia the resident lady pigs, Trevor the Turkey , Lara the farm dog and many many more. All eager and waiting to meet and make new friends!!