Tributes paid to founder of Cloughbane Farm Foods

Lorna, of Cloughbane House, Tanderagee Road, Dungannon, who set up the business at the family farm in 2003, sadly passed away peacefully at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, on Sunday 17th September.

She was the loving wife of Sam, devoted mother of Clare, Robert and Richard, mother-in-law of Iain, Shirley and Ciara and much loved grandmother of Connie, Bob, Grace, Conor, Eli and Noah.

Her funeral was held on Wednesday 20th September in Sandholes Presbyterian Church.

When Lorna founded Cloughbane Farm Foods, it was one of very few on-farm agri-food businesses, especially run by a woman. Lorna created home-made ready meals with an emphasis on quality and using local produce, firstly for the farm shop, then for supermarkets across the UK and Ireland. She also won many awards along the way, including the Farming Life Agri-Food Business of the Year.

Baroness Foster, Former Minister of Northern Ireland, commented: “I was so very sorry to hear of Lorna’s passing recently. She was a great entrepreneur and country woman, and I met her many times at various events including the Balmoral show.

“Lorna was a tremendous example of hard work and determination, and I was delighted to visit her agri-business on the farm where she had set up home with her husband Sam. I always looked out for Cloughbane produce in the shops as I knew the care and innovation which went into each product.

“I will miss meeting Lorna, chatting and catching up on her next plan for the business, but she leaves a tremendous legacy in Cloughbane, and with her family. With deepest condolences to Lorna’s husband Sam and all the family,” Baroness Foster concluded.

Michelle O’Neill MLA commented: “I was very sorry to hear of Lorna’s sudden passing. She was a very strong, determined woman who built a family farm into a successful rural business.

“Cloughbane emerged from a small farm shop into a recognised brand selling a wide range of products to major supermarket chains. From the early days Lorna was very much hands on in the business with the vision and determination to make it a success.”

​Michele Shirlow, Chief Executive of Food NI, added: “Lorna was a true food pioneer and ahead of her time with a clear vision on how she could develop the family business Cloughbane Farm to bring quality ready meals to market. Cloughbane was one of the first farms in Northern Ireland to open a farm shop and in 2006 Lorna took the decision to enter the ready meals market using Cloughbane’s own beef and lamb.

“When I first met Lorna I was impressed at her foresight and business acumen, and I was so delighted to see the Cloughbane Farm rosette on billboards, on the side of their vans and on shelves in the supermarket. With Lorna at the helm, the Cloughbane brand grew and grew to supply Hendersons, Tesco, ASDA and Musgrave to name just a few. Everytime I see the label with the distinctive Cloughbane Farm buildings I will think of Lorna who put so many local meals on so many tables, made life easier for so many people, enhanced the profile of Northern Irish food and left behind a great legacy for her family to continue.”