Andy "The Bull" McSharry

Who is Andy "The Bull" McSharry?

Andy "the Bull" McSharry is an Irish sheep farmer from County Sligo who came to national attention after a seventeen-year campaign during which he objected to casual walkers trespassing on his land, a dispute which inspired other farmers to object to similar treatment. The dispute began in 1992 and concluded in 2009.

McSharry lives on a 225-acre farm in Gleniff, near Ben Bulben in North County Sligo. He is married and has family. He is known for wearing an Indiana Jones-type broad-brimmed hat and he refers to himself as "the Bull", a reference to the character in John B. Keane's play The Field. Fine Gael's spokesperson on Arts, Sports and Tourism Jimmy Deenihan once said of McSharry: “John B would have loved to have met you”. The farmer has often been seen driving around on an all-terrain vehicle to ensure his land is not invaded.

The dispute began when McSharry's lands were included in a guidebook distributed to walkers despite him not having authorised this. The route through his lands was taken out of the book; however walkers still wandered onto his lands even when he posted "Keep Out" notices. The publicity raised by McSharry prompted other farmers to also defend their lands.