Editorial note: All information in this article is based on our June 2025 visit, as part of a larger article on Irish Cheese to be later featured in the Winter 2026 issue of Culture: The Word on Cheese Magazine. Please fact-check all details, figures, technical descriptions, and current business information directly with the cheesemaker before sharing or publishing.
Sometimes, the best cheesemaking stories begin with a little nudge from the universe. For Siobhan Ni Ghairbhith, that nudge came from a desire to get back to the land — and a pair of neighbors ready to pass along their goat dairy.
Siobhan grew up on what she describes as a “hobbyist” family farm. They had all the usual trappings of farm life, just on a much smaller scale, while everyone maintained their regular jobs. She went on to become a teacher, but over time, she found herself wanting something different: a way to reconnect with the earth and make a tangible difference in the world around her.
“As I got older, I realized how land is important and how I needed to do something with it.”
As timing would have it, some neighbors who were running a small goat dairy were looking to transition out. Siobhan took the leap, turning that opportunity into a full-time farmstead goat dairy and cheesemaking operation. That was 26 years ago, and St. Tola has grown into one of Ireland’s best-known artisan goat cheese producers.
Today, the farm is home to around 200 goats, including Saanen, Toggenburger, and British Alpine breeds, along with a team of about eight people. They use staggered breeding to maintain a year-round milk supply, allowing the team to make a range of cheeses throughout the seasons.
And what a range it is! St. Tola produces both pasteurized and raw milk goat cheeses, from fresh, creamy styles to more complex, ash-coated and mold-ripened cheeses. Whether you’re after a tangy feta, a spreadable fresh cheese, or a little log with a beautiful bloomy rind, there’s a St. Tola for the occasion.
One of the highlights of our visit was seeing the goats themselves. On a nice day, they can head out to nearby pastures, but apparently, a lot of them prefer the comfort of their huge, airy, open-sided barns. Honestly, we can’t blame them. Their bedding is changed daily, they get fresh grass throughout the day, and they even have access to back-scratching robots. Yes, robots. If someone could install one of those in our office, we’d be pretty happy, too!
The attention to the goats’ comfort is more than a fun detail. Happy, healthy animals are at the heart of a good dairy, and the care they receive is part of what makes this kind of farmstead cheesemaking special.
St. Tola’s pasteurized cheeses include a fresh goat cheese spread, feta, a fresh log, and several seasoned or marinated varieties. Their raw milk range gets even more exciting, with ash-coated, mold-ripened logs in different sizes, a larger Bucheron-style log, crottins, and a mini-barrel made especially for Neal’s Yard Dairy. The variety gives cheesemongers and chefs plenty to play with, from fresh and bright to earthy, creamy, and complex.
And play with them they do! St. Tola cheeses appear on food-service menus throughout Ireland, and during our travels, we saw firsthand — and tasted firsthand — just how widely they’re enjoyed. You’ll also find them at independent specialty cheese shops, Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, and SuperValu grocers in Ireland, as well as through Neal’s Yard Dairy in the UK.
Unfortunately, St. Tola cheeses aren’t currently available to us here in the United States, so if you’re traveling on the other side of the pond, make a point of seeking them out. And if you’re lucky enough to be nearby in County Clare, keep an eye on their website and social media for upcoming farm visits. Seeing the goats, meeting the people behind the cheese, and getting a glimpse of the work that goes into every wheel makes the experience all the more rewarding.
We left St. Tola appreciating not just the cheeses, but the journey that brought Siobhan back to the land. It’s a story about following your instincts, caring for animals and the environment, and building something meaningful from an unexpected opportunity. And, of course, it’s a reminder that a goat with a back-scratching robot might just be living its best life.
Do Good. Eat Good.
— Kendall, Antonelli’s Cheese
More pics on the video I posted to Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DLnHUQDu1ou/
More info:
