A day in the life at Hannigan's Farm, Ireland

Nestled in County Cork on the South West coast of Ireland, Hannigan’s is a lively sanctuary for nearly 450 donkeys. Since joining as Farm Supervisor in March 2025, Sadhbh Kelleher has had her hands full, but her unlikely beginnings have led her to a real devotion to donkey care and welfare.

“Before becoming the Farm Supervisor here at Hannigan’s, I spent nearly 8 years in retail management. I knew I wasn’t satisfied and wanted to work somewhere that aligned with my passion for animals.” 

This, Sadhbh describes, is what led her to The Donkey Sanctuary: “When I came across the job I thought it sounded like the perfect fit, I’m so glad I can now make a difference in the lives of all these amazing donkeys.”

Working together as one

With nearly 450 donkeys on site, collaboration is key to ensuring all the donkeys’ needs are met at Hannigan’s.

“One of the biggest challenges is balancing the operational needs of the farm with making sure each donkey gets the care and attention they need,” Sadhbh explains. 

“With such a large number of donkeys, it can be difficult to juggle everything, but I have learnt the importance of delegation and good planning. We all work together as a team to make sure everything gets done, because everyone is here for one reason - and that’s the donkeys!”

The day starts with a team meeting to plan out tasks and discuss donkey movements or health concerns, and then comes the morning routine:

After lunch, the team has time to focus on enrichment activities for the donkeys, before the evening responsibilities of putting out feed and cleaning down the yard begins. But Sadhbh always makes sure she has time to provide support and advice to her team whenever they need it.

A national crisis

Sadhbh’s work, and the work of every team across The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland is shaped by a much larger and urgent reality - donkey welfare in Ireland has reached crisis point.

A combination of issues from long-term unplanned and unmanaged breeding, a rise in the costs of living and the ongoing consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic means more donkeys than ever are in need of care. This has resulted in the pressure on welfare services growing at an unsustainable rate.

That is why the tireless work of people like Sadhbh is vital. From supporting donkey owners with practical advice, to working alongside the Irish government to drive long-term change, The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland team is working relentlessly to improve the lives of donkeys across the country.

Putting donkeys first

For Sadhbh, every part of the job comes back to the donkeys themselves. The moments she values most are often the simplest. 

“Sometimes it’s just a calm, sunny day where the donkeys are content and the farm is running smoothly,” she says, “Those days remind me how lucky I am to have a job that I love.”

What drives Sadhbh is seeing the donkeys as individuals: “Their incredible personalities and the strong relationships they build with one another. I didn’t realise the deep, loyal connections they form,” she explains.

Their individual quirks, lasting bonds and gentle nature are a constant reminder of why all the hard work matters. For Sadhbh, and all of The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland team, everything begins with one principle: putting donkeys first.