In the case of Ireland commonage had a vastly different origin, resulting largely from the breakup of large estates. Many farmers in the upland areas have freehold farms but also a joint share of adjacent commonage. Where those with entitlement to graze reach agreement, these commonages are still being enclosed today. Because of CAP regulations these areas have been overstocked and understocked and are now subject to individual management plans in order to gain GLAS payments.

What happened prior to the breakup of the estates is a different story.

{Over the years the shareholders on many commonages have decided to “stripe” or split their commonage between them. In spite of this approx. 426,000 Ha of commonage remain.(total area of Ireland 6.9million Ha) Over 11,000 farms have a shareholding in one or more of the approx. 4,500 remaining commonages.}