Two young Limerick entrepreneurs have set up Ireland’s first WFQA Certified ‘Firewood & Log Trade Centre’ on their farm in Dromtrasna, Co Limerick. Nick and Jack Cotter who are still in School in Colaiste Ide agus Iosef in Abbeyfeale got their idea after attending a local thinning and wood energy demonstration organised by Teagasc.
The boys promote their business on Facebook (www.facebook.com/cotter.brosfirewood) and since receiving their award at the Ploughing Cham-pionships have been inundated with enquiries. ‘We have published a public price list on our Facebook page and this has really caught people’s interest…. now home-owners can calculate the cost of heating their homes with firewood in cent per kwh which is the standard way of costing a heating fuel’ said Jack. Nick goes on to say, ‘In addition we have published a fuel cost comparison based on the SEAI quarterly survey of domestic heating fuels, this is really encouraging people to change from fossil fuels to firewood not only because it is less expensive but because it is more environmentally friendly and cleaner to use.’
When presenting the award to Cotter Bros Firewood the Minister for Forestry Tom Hayes TD said that, ‘with the wood fuel market accounting for over €33 million in sales last year it is vital for consumers to have the information necessary to help make the move to sustainable, locally produced quality wood fuel and away from imported fossil fuels. The Minister added, It is important that wood fuels that come on the market are fit for purpose, well prepared, presented and WFQA Certified, and I am delighted to say that Cotter Bros Firewood meets this high standard.’
Cotter Bros Firewood is a local firewood business based in Abbeyfeale Co Limerick who supply high quality firewood to customers in the West Limerick/North Kerry and North Cork areas. Jack and Nick Cotter are sons of Nicholas Cotter of Mid Western Forestry, Ireland’s largest family owned forestry company establish-ed in 1995.