A famous actor’s visit highlights an Irish ice cream maker’s journey to national success.
In a surprising turn of events, Hollywood legend Bill Murray made a notable visit to The Good Dairy Company in Kinsale, Ireland, bringing a moment of celebrity attention to a local agribusiness. The actor, who has strong ancestral ties to both Cork and Galway, was in good company with author Tom Coyne. Murray’s presence, while seemingly a casual stop for ice cream, served to highlight the remarkable entrepreneurial journey of the company’s founder and the growing strength of rural Irish dairy producers.
The article details the story of Catherine Good, the founder of The Good Dairy Company, who operates the business alongside a dairy farm with her husband. After a decade at home with her children, Catherine sought to diversify the family farm and noticed a gap in the market for a farmhouse ice cream made from a single source. This entrepreneurial spirit, which is increasingly vital to the long-term sustainability of small-scale agriculture, led her to develop a business plan and launch her company in 2021.
A pivotal part of Catherine’s success has been her involvement with the Acorns program, a crucial support network for female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland. She joined the program in 2022 and quickly found herself surrounded by a supportive peer group of women at various stages of business development. According to Catherine, the program provided essential motivation, accountability, and mentorship from more established entrepreneurs, which proved invaluable in navigating the challenging road of a business startup.
The support from Acorns has been crucial to the company’s recent achievement: being named a finalist in the 2025 Grow with Aldi program. This national recognition means The Good Dairy Company’s ice cream will now be stocked on a national scale in Aldi Ireland stores, marking a major milestone. This success story showcases the vital role that support networks and strategic partnerships play in helping small-scale, locally-rooted dairy products reach a wider market, bridging the gap between farm and consumer.
While Bill Murray’s visit provided a fun and memorable moment, the underlying story is one of determination, community support, and the thriving rural agribusiness sector in Ireland. Catherine’s journey is a powerful example for the international dairy community, illustrating how passion, targeted support for female entrepreneurs, and a high-quality product can lead to significant commercial success. It highlights the importance of diversification and innovation in ensuring the economic viability of dairy farms for the next generation.
Original reporting by The Southern Star: https://www.southernstar.ie/news/bill-drops-by-for-ice-cream-and-a-chat-at-the-good-dairy-company-4340976
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