Research Summary

I am a lecturer in the Cork Department of Mathematics at the Munster Technological University where I lecture in Statistics, and Quantitative Methods. In additiona I am currently supervisor to a number of post graduate students.

My PhD research examined price transmission in the EU Dairy sector. Following this my research has focused on the emerging issue of price and income volatility in this sector. As well as having a number of publications in this field I have also made a number of presentations at international conferences and to the dairy industry. I have authored a number of dairy industry reports and continue to collaborate with a number of national and international academics. I have designed and delivered a number of workshops on the theme of risk management in the dairy sector. 

Research interests

At present my main research interests are

• Dairy Economics
• Dairy Policy
• Dairy price and income volatility
• Dairy market analysis
• Dairy systems analysis
• Milk collection solutions

Selected Publications

1. O'Callaghan, S., O'Connor, D. and Goulding, D. (2022), Raw milk collection in Ireland: insights into the challenges facing the industry, British Food Journal (fortcoming), https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-05-2021-0499

2. O’ Callaghan, S., O'Connor, D., Goulding, D., (2021) A dynamic decision support model for the seasonal transportation of raw milk. International Journal of Dairy Technology 74(1) pp 32-43 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0307.12748

3. L. Shalloo, D. O'Connor, L. Cele and F. Thorne (2020), An analysis of the Irish dairy sector post quota, A report prepared by Cork Institute of Technology and Teagasc.

4. O’ Callaghan, S., D O'Connor, D., Goulding, D., (2020) Modelling Raw-Milk Transportation in Ireland: Fastest or Shortest Route from Farm to Factory. Proceedings of Civil Engineering Research in Ireland, Cork, Ireland, 27-28 August, 2020. pg 552-558. ISBN 978-0-9573957-4-9

5. Loughrey J.,  Donnellan T., Hennessy T., Thorne F., and O Connor D. (2018) An evaluation of suitable tools to manage price/income volatility at dairy farm level in Ireland. Report prepared for Dairy Research Ireland, September 2018

6. D Bergmann, D O'Connor, A Thümmel, (2018), An Evaluation of Point and Density Forecasts for Selected EU Farm Gate Milk Prices, International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics, Vol. 6, No. 1,  pp. 23-53 

7. D Bergmann, D O'Connor, A Thümmel, (2017) Price and volatility transmission in, and between, skimmed milk powder, livestock feed and oil markets. Outlook on Agriculture, Vol. 46(4) 248–257 DOI: 10.1177/0030727017744928

8. D Bergmann, D O’Connor, A Thümmel, (2016), An analysis of price and volatility transmission in butter, palm oil and crude oil markets, Agricultural and Food Economics, 4:23.

9. Keane, M., O'Connor, D., (2015). Agricultural Policy Schemes: European Union's Common Agricultural Policy, Reference Module in Food Sciences, Elsevier, pp. 1–6.

10. D Bergmann, D O’Connor, A Thümmel , (2015), Seasonal and cyclical behaviour of farm gate milk prices, British Food Journal, Vol. 117 Issue 12.

11. O’ Connor D., Bergmann D. and Keane, M. (2015) The challenges posed by price volatility in the EU dairy sector. Paper presented at Agrarian Perspectives XXIV and25th Annual Conference of the Austrian Society of Agricultural Economics. Prague September 2015.
12. O Connor, D and M. Keane (2015), Future Expansion of the Dairy Industry in Cork: Economic Benefits and Infrastructural Requirements, Report prepared for Cork Conty Council.
13.  C. HURTADO-URIA, D. HENNESSY, L. SHALLOO, D. O'CONNOR and  L. DELABY (2014),  Relationships between meteorological data and grass growth over time in the south of Ireland, Irish Geography

14. C. HURTADO-URIA, D. HENNESSY, L. SHALLOO, D. O'CONNOR and  L. DELABY (2014),  Relationships between meteorological data and grass growth over time in the south of Ireland, Irish Geography.

15. Keane, M., and D. O Connor (2013), Analysis of the Crisis Dairy Supply Management Proposal in the Report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) on CAP Reform 2013, International Dairy Magazine, pp 18-20, April 2013.

16. D. O Connor, D and M. Keane (2013), Analysis of the Crisis Dairy Supply Management Proposal in CAP Reform 2012/2013. European Dairy Association, Brussels.

17. Keane, M., and D. O Connor (2013), Dairying in the EU - A New Paradigm?, International Dairy Federation World Dairy Situation, 2013.

18. KELLY, E., O’CONNOR, D. & KEANE, M. (2013). Measurement of the effect of policy changes on volatility in dairy markets, Irish Business Journal.

19. C. HURTADO-URIA, D. HENNESSY, L. SHALLOO, R. P. O. SCHULTE, L. DELABY and D. O'CONNOR (2013), Evaluation of three grass growth models to predict grass growth in Ireland. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 151, pp 91-104.

20. DONNELLAN, T., HANRAHAN, K., HENNESSY, T., O’CONNOR, D., KEANE., M. & KELLY, E. (2012), Risk Management in the Irish dairy sector. TResearch, Volume 7, Issue 4, Winter 2012, Teagasc.

21. KELLY, E., O’CONNOR, D. & KEANE, M. (2012), The effect of policy changes on volatility in dairy markets, Proceedings AESI Annual Conference Dublin, November 19th 2012 (Theatre Presentation).

22. O'Connor, D., Deirdre Hennessy D., Shalloo L. and Hurtado-Uria C, (2012), An Examination of the Volatile Nature of Grass Production in Ireland,123rd Seminar, European Association of Agricultural Economists, February 23-24, Dublin, Ireland.

23. Quinlan, C., Keane, M., O’Connor, D., and Shalloo. L. (2012), Milk Transport Costs under differing Seasonality Assumptions for the Irish Dairy Industry, International Journal of Dairy Technology, (Forthcoming).

24. Thorne, F., Hennessy, T., Hanrahan, K., Donnellan, T., O’Connor, D., and  Keane, M. (2011), Volatility in Agricultural Markets: Evidence, Causes and Possible Solutions, TResearch (Teagasc Ireland), Volume 6: Number 1, Spring 2011.

25. O’Connor, D., and M. Keane (2011), Empirical Issues Relating to Dairy Commodity Price Volatility, Chapter in "Methods to Analyse Agricultural Price Volatility", Piot-Lepetit, Isabelle; M'Barek, Robert (Eds.).

26. Keane, M., and D. O Connor (2011), Agricultural Policy Schemes: European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy, Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences 2nd Edition, Elsevier Science.

27. C. HURTADO-URIA, D. HENNESSY, L. SHALLOO, R. P. O. SCHULTE, L. DELABY and D. O'CONNOR  (2010), An evaluation of grass growth models for use in perennial ryegrass swards in Ireland,  Advances in Animal Biosciences 04/2010; 1(01).

28. Keane, M., and D. O Connor (2010), EU Dairy Commodity Price Volatility,  International Dairy Federation World Dairy Situation.

29. O’Connor, D. and  M. Keane (2009), Price Volatility in the EU Dairy Industry: Causes, Consequences and Coping Mechanisms, European Dairy Association, Brussels.

30. O’Connor, D., M. Keane and Barnes, E. (2009), Measuring Volatility in Dairy Commodity Prices, Proceedings 113th Seminar European Association of Agricultural Economists, Chania Greece, September 2009.

31. O’Connor, D., M. Keane and Barnes, E. (2009), The policy and trade challenges of managing price risk in the EU dairy industry, Paper presented at Agricultural Economics Society (UK) Conference, April 1st 2009.

32. O’Connor, D., M. Keane and Barnes, E. (2008), Managing price risk in a changing policy environment: the case of the EU dairy industry, Proceedings 108th EAAE Seminar Warsaw, Poland.

33. Declan O’Connor, Michael Keane and Martin Kenneally (2007), Price Transmission in the EU Butter and Skim Milk Powder Markets,  Discussion Paper, Department of Food Business and Development, University College Cork.

34. O’Connor, D., M. Keane and Kenneally, M. (2007), Price Transmission from Market to Farm Gate: An Irish Dairy Study, International Farm Management Association, 16th Congress, Cork, Ireland, July 2007.

35. Carrie Quinlan, Michael Keane, Pat Enright and Declan O Connor (2005), The Cost and Efficiency of Milk Transport from Farms in Ireland, Discussion Paper No. 47, Department of Food Business and Development, University College Cork.

36. Keane. M, and O’Connor D (2004), Evaluation of the Effect on Irish Dairy Industry Revenue of Assymetric Reductions in Intervention Prices for Butter and Skim Milk Powder, Disc. Paper 43, Dept Food Business and Development, Univ College Cork, Sept.