Sheepdog Trainers: Meet Our Shepherds

Every great sheepdog has a shepherd… and at Caherconnell, we’ve got two of the best.

Meet John Davoren and Aaron McGann – two Burren farmers who spend more time talking to dogs than most people. (The dogs are better listeners, apparently.)

John has been farming these limestone hills his entire life. For him, working with sheepdogs isn’t something he learned for visitors – it’s simply how the day’s work gets done. The whistles, the hand signals, the connection with his collies… it’s all part of a tradition that’s been passed from one generation to the next, with only the occasional sheep refusing to read the script!

Aaron represents the next generation of Burren farming. Passionate about sheep from a young age, he built his own flock as a teenager and has already made a name for himself in the show ring. Whether he’s working alongside John or out with his own dogs, one thing’s for certain – he’s completely woolly committed to the job.

This isn’t heritage brought out for show—it’s a way of life that’s still thriving in the Burren.

And that’s what makes the Caherconnell Sheepdog Demonstration different.

There’s no stage, no rehearsals and definitely no canine divas. Just two farmers, a handful of remarkably clever collies, and a flock of sheep.

The dogs don’t perform tricks. They do their job. John and Aaron don’t play the role of shepherds. They are shepherds.

So when you watch a dog gather sheep with nothing more than a whistle echoing across the Burren, you’re not watching a show. You’re watching generations of knowledge, patience and partnership in action.

It’s authentic. It’s entertaining. And if you leave without at least one terrible sheep pun, ewe’ve probably missed something.