Premier Show & Sale 2022
Monday 25th July
Blessington Mart
Export Sale
For Further Information please contact 083 0907313
Monday 25th July
Blessington Mart
Export Sale
For Further Information please contact 083 0907313
We are delighted to announce that after a three year absence due to the Pandemic, our National Suffolk Championships will take place at Charleville Agricultural Show, Co Cork on Sunday June 26th.
Classes on the day will include Young Handlers, Shearling Ram & Upwards, Aged Ewe, Shearling Ewe, Novice Lamb – Male or Female, Ram Lamb, Ewe Lamb Trimmed & Ewe Lamb Untrimmed. We are very much looking forward to this prestigious event from our Suffolk Calender and we hope to see you there.
Date: 2nd August 2021
Auctioneer: JP & M Doyle
Judge: William Tait, Burnview Flock
Blessington Mart was the place to be on August Bank Holiday Monday. A packed mart saw the highest price paid for a sheep in Ireland when the hammer fell on Richard Thompson’s (Donegal) ram lamb at €44,000. But this wasn’t just a breeder’s sale, an excellent clearance of 81% in the ram lamb class had the lot, breeders lambs at record prices, forty-one sheep exported and a strong commercial turnout with over 60% of sheep sold meeting the needs of the Irish commercial farmer. Although the overall sale average was €1.884 with a clearance of over 83%, the average price for commercial sheep was €660 to €670.
The record breaking top priced Lot 70 from Richard’s Ballinatone Flock is a son of the 2017 born Solwaybank Sapphire 2 out of a Mountford Mustang sired Ballynacannon ewe. Coming second in the Novice class, he was bought by Northern Ireland breeders Dennis Taylor, for his Ballynacannon flock based near Coleraine, County Antrim’s Alaistair Gault (Forkins flock), Ronan McLaughlin from Donegal (Ballyboe flock) and Portuguese breeder Joao Guilherme with Richard Thompson retaining a share. The Ballinatone pen also had the highest average at €15,625 for three sheep sold.
Darragh McMenamin’s (Mullinvale Flock, Donegal) Breed Champion, and winner of both the Novice and Open Ram Lamb classes, was next in the money list with Judge William Tait (S & W Tait, Burnview Flock) paying €34,000 for this Salopian Scuderia sired ram lamb out of a Balquhain dam for his Co Tyrone based flock. The Mullinvale pen had the second highest average after Ballinatone at €6,575 for 6 ram lambs sold.
Maghera breeder, Stephen Sufferin (Crewelands Flock, N Ireland) paid €7,500 and €6,500 for Philip Byrne’s (Kilkenny) lot 119 and Richard Wilson’s (Donegal) lot 194 respectively. Byrne’s Limepark flock bred Muirton One Direction sired lamb is out of a Limepark ewe. Richard Wilson’s February born Shannagh ram lamb is by last years Champion, Kells T-Rex, out of a Birness Murray sired Shannagh dam.
Two sheep then sold for €5,000. Brian and Gus Doyle’s (Kilmacoo Flock) lot 129 was the top price ram going to mainland Europe and was bought by French breeder, Sebastian Delval. This Kilmacoo ram lamb is the son of Errigal Grim Reaper out of a Birness dam. The other €5,000 priced sheep was lot 173 from J & M Doherty’s Malinhead Flock. P J Howard (Co Clare) bought this Limestone Red Rum sired ram lamb out of a homebred dam.
The females got the sale off to an excellent start with James O’Connell’s lot 7 Knockogan Shearling Ewe topping the female money list at €1,600 for his Female Champion purchased by F & S Brigdale for their Co Clare based Atomic Flock. The Reserve Female Champion, Kenneth Bailey’s winner of the Ewe Lamb Class got €1,400 from Michael McHugh of Co Wicklow.
Averages:
Overall:
Top: €44,000
Clearance: 83% (160 sold)
Average: €1,884
Shearling Ewes:
Top: €1,600
Clearance: 89% (16 sold)
Average: €909
Ewe Lambs:
Top: €1,400
Clearance: 95% (20 sold)
Average: €732
Ram Lambs:
Top: €44,000
Clearance: 81% (124 sold)
Average: €1,851
LOT NO. | FLOCK | PRICE IN EUROS | BUYER |
70 | BALLINATONE | 44,000 | PDW Taylor, A Gault, R McLaughlin, R Thompson & J Guilherme |
158 | MULLINVALE | 34,000 | S & W Tait |
119 | LIMEPARK | 7,500 | S Sufferin |
194 | SHANNAGH | 6,500 | S Sufferin |
129 | KILMACOO | 5,000 | S Delval |
173 | MALINHEAD | 5,000 | PJ Howard |
Male and Supreme Champion
1st Lot 158 Darragh McMenamin
UJU:21:02676 by Salopian Scuderia
Reserve Male and Overall Reserve Champion
1st Lot 133 Arthur O’Keeffe
R15:21:06302 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
Female Champion
Lot 7 James O’Connell
DBJ:20:02212 by Shannagh Synergy
Reserve Female Champion
Lot 31 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:21:00172 by Cairness Cobra
Class 1- Shearling Ewe
1stLot 7 James O’Connell
DBJ:20:02212 by Shannagh Synergy
2nd Lot 11 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:20:00125 by Cairness Corker
3rd Lot 5 John Hanly
G4:20:02645 by Limestone Lowry
Class 2- Ewe Lamb
1st Lot 31 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:21:00172 by Cairness Cobra
2nd Lot 35 Robert Tait
18W:21:02433 by Glenagh Gideon
3rd Lot 32 Philip Lynch
CZK:21:01017 by Benedyglen Big Jack
Class 3- Shearling Ram
1st Lot 47 James O’Connell
DBJ:20:02276 by Shannagh Synergy
Class 4- Ram Lamb Sired by a SOI Bred Ram
1st Lot 133 Arthur O’Keeffe
R15:21:06302 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
2nd Lot 211 Brian & Gus Doyle
UTX:21:00174 by Errigal Grim Reaper
3rd Lot 77 John A Doherty
CFN:21:03102 by Shannagh Top Gun II
Class 5- Recorded Ram Lamb Class
1st Lot 128 Susan O’Keeffe
BYD:21:02580 by Burnview One For Arthur
2nd Lot 121 Philip Lynch
CZK:21:01024 by Strathbogie Kind Of Magic
3rd Lot 78 John A Doherty
CFN:21:03103 by Shannagh Top Gun II
Class 6- Novice Ram Lamb
1st Lot 158 Darragh McMenamin
UJU:21:02676 by Salopian Scuderia
2nd Lot 70 Richard Thompson
TDL:21:03062 by Solwaybank Sapphire 2
3rd Lot 129 Brian & Gus Doyle
UTX:21:00179 by Errigal Grim Reaper
Class 7 – Open Ram Lamb
1st Lot 158 Darragh McMenamin
UJU:21:02676 by Salopian Scuderia
2nd Lot 122 Philip Lynch
CZK:21:01024 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
3rd Lot 119 Philip Byrne
TJW:21:00048 by Muirton One Direction
Class 8 – Gigot Class
1st Lot 81 Robert Tait
18W:21:02446 by Errigal Masterpiece
2nd Lot 85 John Stacey
JYO:21:01152 by Benrafton Panther
3rd Lot 161 John & Esther Gahan
SKW:21:00558 by Forkins Franko
Group of Three
1st Lots 156, 58, 60 Darragh McMenamin
UJU:21:02650, UJU:21:02624, UJU:21:02643
2nd Lots 108, 109, 110 Eamon Duffy
C46:21:03216, C46:21:02176, C46:21:03158
3rd Lots 70, 71, 165 Richard Thompson
TDL:21:03062, TDL:21:03064, TDL:21:03065
SHEARLING EWE DRAW | ||
VENDOR | PREFIX | |
1 | JOHN GAHAN | Barronstown |
2 | S & F BRIGDALE | Atomic |
3 | JOHN HANLY | Noan |
4 | JAMES O’CONNELL | Knockogan |
5 | ROBERT TAIT | Bawn |
6 | KENNETH BAILEY | Lismurtagh |
7 | COLIN WATCHORN | Beechbrook |
8 | DAVID QUINLAN | Monefelim |
9 | COOTE GEELAN | Loughrynn |
10 | RYAN GREENE | Larahirl |
11 | ROBERT WALKER | Kilcurley |
EWE LAMB DRAW | ||
VENDOR | PREFIX | |
1 | JEFFERY THORNTON | Killyclug |
2 | COOTE GEELAN | Loughrynn |
3 | GERRY KILLILEA | Carragh |
4 | DAVID QUINLAN | Monefelim |
5 | JAMES O’CONNELL | Knockogan |
6 | CHARLES HUGHES | Lankill |
7 | ROBERT WALKER | Kilcurley |
8 | KENNETH BAILEY | Lismurtagh |
9 | PHILIP LYNCH | Glyde |
10 | NOEL QUINLAN | Goresbridge |
11 | OLIVER DEANE | Mountford |
12 | ROBERT TAIT | Bawn |
13 | JOHN MOLLOY | Molloy |
14 | S & F BRIGDALE | Atomic |
15 | STUART ROBB | Blueridge |
16 | TOMMY CAVANAGH | Glenagh |
17 | COLIN WATCHORN | Beechbrook |
18 | BRIAN BOLAND | Lisnatubrid |
19 | JOHN GAHAN | Barronstown |
20 | ALAN STANLEY | Castlegrogan |
SHEARLING RAM DRAW | ||
VENDOR | PREFIX | |
1 | JAMES O’CONNELL | Knockogan |
RAM LAMB DRAW | ||
VENDOR | PREFIX | |
1 | CHARLES HUGHES | Lankill |
2 | TOMMY CAVANAGH | Glenagh |
3 | JAMES O’CONNELL | Knockogan |
4 | ANDY SMITH | Loughanleagh |
5 | AARON BOYLE | Garvan |
6 | M & S JOYCE | Ballintleva |
7 | GERRY KILLILEA | Carragh |
8 | DARRAGH MCMENAMIN | Mullinvale |
9 | JOHN MOLLOY | Molloy |
10 | PATRICK GALLAGHER | Meenlaragh |
11 | JOHN GAHAN | Barronstown |
12 | ALAN STANLEY | Castlegrogan |
13 | AARON KEALY | Ivybrook |
14 | DAVID QUINLAN | Monefelim |
15 | RICHARD THOMPSON | Ballinatone |
16 | OLIVER DEANE | Mountford |
17 | STUART ROBB | Blueridge |
18 | RONAN MCLAUGHLIN | Ballyboe |
19 | RYAN GREENE | Larahirl |
20 | J & M DOHERTY | Malinhead |
21 | ROBERT TAIT | Bawn |
22 | PATRICK O’KEEFFE | Blackwater |
23 | ANDREW WILSON | Castleisle |
24 | NIALL CASSIDY | Screen |
25 | JOHN STACEY | Hillstone |
26 | SEAMUS BROWNE | Errigal |
27 | JOHN BRILLY | Mooretown |
28 | COLIN WATCHORN | Beechbrook |
29 | MARK FOX | Kinkellew |
30 | SEAN O’CONNOR | Islandmore |
31 | ALAN KILPATRICK | Convoy |
32 | JEFFERY THORNTON | Killyclug |
33 | NOEL QUINLAN | Goresbridge |
34 | PADDY CAROLAN | Muff |
35 | SEAN MONAGLE | Tully |
36 | ROBERT WALKER | Kilcurley |
37 | W & R WILSON | Shannagh |
38 | EAMONN DUFFY | Kells |
39 | GUS DOYLE | Cronebane |
40 | KENNETH BAILEY | Lismurtagh |
41 | TREVOR BURKE | Deburca |
42 | GARTH GRAHAM | Kirriemuir |
43 | S & S GAHAN | Barrowlands |
44 | PHILIP BYRNE | Limepark |
45 | PHILIP LYNCH | Glyde |
46 | DEREK BASKIN | Railstown |
47 | MARTY MCDERMOTT | Gulladuff |
48 | SEAN PAUL MCHUGH | Bonyglen |
49 | SUSAN O’KEEFFE | Clyda |
50 | TOM FEENEY | Drumbarron |
51 | BRIAN DOYLE | Kilmacoo |
52 | PJ MCMONAGLE | Aughnakeeragh |
53 | DOHERTY BROS | Cionn-mhalanna |
54 | ARTHUR O’KEEFFE | Annakisha |
55 | HARRY GRAHAM | Westside |
56 | ANN O’MAHONEY | Ballygarvanstud |
57 | JAMES CORCORAN | Foxhurst |
58 | MICHAEL HASTINGS | Western |
59 | C & S MCGARRY | Knocknagarry |
60 | BRIAN BOLAND | Lisnatubrid |
61 | GABRIEL CONROY | Lambay |
62 | J & A LUCAS | Finnvale |
63 | JOHN HANLY | Noan |
62% clearance for the largest pedigree Suffolk sale in Ireland despite Covid-19
LOT NO. | FLOCK | PRICE IN EUROS | BUYER |
41 | BLACKWATER | 6,500 | AJ & N Robinson |
112 | ERRIGAL | 3,000 | R Tait |
94 | BARRONSTOWN | 2,600 | D McCaughren |
93 | BARRONSTOWN | 2,200 | M O’Neill |
131 | FINNVALE | 2,100 | F Collard |
34 | KILLYCLUG | 2,000 | K Casey |
46 | ANNAKISHA | 1,800 | G Conroy |
114 | ERRIGAL | 1,700 | T Feeney |
170 | BARRONSTOWN | 1,700 | PJ Howard |
42 | LIMEPARK | 1,600 | J Trimble |
64 | BEECHBROOK | 1,500 | R Sands |
124 | CONVOY | 1,400 | M McNally |
150 | BEECHBROOK | 1,300 | C Finnegan |
Click here to view top price Blackwater NBK:20:06088
Male and Supreme Champion
Lot 74 Eamonn Duffy
C46:20:03050 by Limestone T-Rex
Reserve Male and Overall Reserve Champion
Lot 46 Arthur O’Keeffe
R15:20:06089 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
Female Champion
Lot 24 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:20:00121 by Cairness Corker
Reserve Female Champion
Lot 16 James O’Connell
DBJ:20:02213 by Shannagh Synergy
Single Shearling Ewe
1st Lot 9 J Hanly
G4:19:02544 by Limestone Lowry
2nd Lot 8 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:19:00066 by Cairness Foremost
3rd Lot 4 Coote Geelan
F56:19:01208 by Errigal Tubridy
Single Ewe Lamb
1st Lot 24 Kenneth Bailey
HDC:20:00121 by Cairness Corker
2nd Lot 16 James O’Connell
DBJ:20:02213 by Shannagh Synergy
3rd Lot 19 David Quinlan
UHZ:20:01537 by Mullaghboy Goliath
Ram Lamb Sired by a SOI Bred Ram
1st Lot 46 Arthur O’Keeffe
R15:20:06089 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
2nd Lot 118 Mssrs Wilson
78A:20:06695 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
3rd Lot 78 Susan O’Keeffe
BYD:20:02462 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
Novice Ram Lamb
1st Lot 42 Philip Byrne
TJW:20:00024 by Strathisla Speed
2nd Lot 91 B & G Doyle
UTX:20:00146 by Castleisle Capaldi
3rd Lot 170 J & E Gahan
SKW:20:00531 by Ballynacannon Royal Flush
Recorded Ram Lamb Class
1st Lot 136 Arthur O’Keeffe
R15:20:06082 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
2nd Lot 94 J & E Gahan
SKW20:00546 by Limestone Aston Martin
3rd Lot 97 J A Doherty
CFN:20:02960 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
Open Ram Lamb
1st Lot 74 Eamonn Duffy
C46:20:03050 by Limeston T-Rex
2nd Lot 81 Andrew Wilson
DDX:20:01174 by Castleisle Capaldi
3rd Lot 41 by Patrick O’Keeffe
NBK:20:06088 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
Gigot Class
1st Lot 123 L & A Kilpatrick
PWW:20:00194 by Birness Hustler
2nd Lot 137 Arthur O’Keeffe
R15:20:06091 by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince
3rd Lot 149 Colin Watchorn
PXL:20:00549 by Crewelands Oscar
Standing room only at Blessington Mart on Saturday as both commercial farmers and pedigree breeders flocked to the Lamlac sponsored South of Ireland Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society’s Premier Sale. Over half the ram lambs sold on Saturday went to commercial farmers typically buying in the €400 to €900 price range. Ram lambs overall achieved an excellent 75% clearance with an average of €931.
“this has been an excellent sale showcasing the best of Irish bred suffolks. The Society has been keeping the pedigree Suffolk flock book in Ireland since 1893 with the first registered flocks in Counties Roscommon and Derry and our members are still to the fore. The success of today’s sale demonstrates that Suffolks are not only number one for finishing and taste, they are also a major player in the commercial sheep world. We have seen today that registered suffolk lambs are not only attractive to the pedigree breeder, but also to the commercial farmer and even into mainland Europe with lambs bought at Blessington going to Belgium and France”
Suffolk Sheep Society Chief Executive Robin McIlrath
Patrick O’Connor (Co Kerry) paid the top price of €3150 for Philip Byrne’s (Co Kilkenny) Burnview One for Arthur sired ram lamb (TJW:19:00013)out of a Shannagh Knockout sired Annakisha dam. Click here to view pedigree. The dam’s maternal sister bred the 2018 female Champion and Supreme Champion of the Year.
The hammer fell to B Fenton (Co Wicklow) €2940 for Ronan McLaughlin’s (Co Donegal) Novice Class winner (UPX:19:00024). Sired by Limestone Aston Martin (purchased for 40,000gns at Stirling in 2018), this lamb is out of the Ballynacannon gimmer purchased for 9500gns in 2018.
P J Howard paid €2730 for Young Donegal breeder Darragh McMenamin’s Rookery Rodeo sired lot 113 (UJU:19:01440) out of a Cairness Cyclone sired Lakeview dam. For the same money, Northern Ireland breeder Adam Porter (Maghera) purchased Gerry Killilea’s (Co Galway) Lakeview Harbinger sired lamb out of a Newwells dam.
Ballymena breeder R H Barclay bought Richard Wilson’s (Donegal) Supreme Champion (78A:19:06468) for €2310 and Belgium breeder F Collard paid €2625 for the Open Ram Lamb Class Reserve (78A:19:06468). Three ram lambs went for €2310, Andrew Smith from Co Cavan bought Andrew Lucas’s (Co Donegal) lot 49. O & G Deane (Co Kildare) also bought a Lucas ram lamb (lot 126) at the same money for their Mountford flock. The third at €2310 was Susan O’Keeffe’s Recorded Class 1st Place ram lamb (lot 124) which went North to W and S Tait (Co Tyrone).
The three top pen averages were R Wilson (Co Donegal) with €1300 with 5 sheep through the ring, E Duffy (Co Meath) with €1062 for 8 sheep and S O’Keeffe (Co Cork) with €1058 for 8 sheep.
Top female price was K Bailey’s (Co Roscommon) reserve female champion ewe lamb (HDC:19:00075) going to James Cuffe’s pedigree Inbhear flock in Co Mayo for €1470. Colin Watchorn paid €1207 for J and E Gahan’s ewe lamb (Co Wicklow) to add to his Irish Flock of the Year Beechbrook flock. Colin’s flock viewing day is Saturday (10th August) at 4:40pm at his farm in Newcastle, Co Wicklow.
Male and Supreme Champion
Lot 65 R Wilson
78A:19:06468 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
Reserve Male and Overall Reserve Champion
Lot 61 A O’Keeffe
R15:19:05248 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
Female Champion
Lot 4 J Durcan
PXA:18:00188 by Malinhead Gold
Reserve Female Champion
Lot 28 K Bailey
HDC:19:00075 by Cairness Foremost
Class 1 Single Shearling Ewe
1 Lot 4 J Durcan
PXA:18:00188 by Malinhead Gold
2 Lot 11 J&E Gahan
SKW:18:00494 by Malinhead Gold
3 Lot 1 M O’Connell
DBJ:18:02051 by Ballygarvanstud Bullseye
Class 2 Single Ewe Lamb
1 Lot 28 K Bailey
HDC:19:00075 by Cairness Foremost
2 Lot 20 M O’Connell
DBJ:19:02102 by Shannagh Synergy
3 Lot 24 J and E Gahan
SKW:19:00515 by Limestone Aston Martin
Class 3 Shearling Ram
1 Lot 32 D Quinlan
UHZ:18:01485 by Monefelim Major
Class 4 Ram Lamb Sired by a SOI Bred Ram
1 Lot 123 S O’Keeffe
BYD:19:02113 by Castleisle Golden Miller
2 Lot 43 S O’Keeffe
BYD:19:02115 by Castleisle Golden Miller
3 Lot 115 A Wilson
DDX:19:01150 by Limepark Las Vegas
Class 5 Recorded Ram Lamb Class
1 Lot 124 S O’Keeffe
BYD:19:02125 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
2 Lot 81 J Doherty
CFN:19:02857 by Rookery Ace Of Hearts
3 Lot 122 S O’Keeffe
BYD:19:02099 by Burnview One For Arthur
Class 6 Novice Ram Lamb
1 Lot 98 R McLaughlin
UPX:19:00024 by Limestone Aston Martin
2 Lot 113 D McMenamin
UJU:19:01450 by Mullanboy Thunder Bolt
3 Lot 76 R Thompson
TDL:19:02640 by Limepark Las Vegas
Class 7 Open Ram Lamb
1 Lot 61 A O’Keeffe
R15:19:05248 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
2 Lot 66 R Wilson
78A:19:06470 by Limestone Aston Martin
3 Lot 58 P O’Keeffe
NBK:19:05940 by Burnview One For Arthur
Class 8 Giggot Class
1 Lot 65 R Wilson
78A:19:06468 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
2 Lot 41 S’OKeeffe
BYD:19:02137 by Strathbogie A Kind Of Magic
3 Lot 38 E Duffy
C46:19:02846 by Limestone Aston Martin
Class 9 Pen Of Three
1 Lots 124, 43, 41 S O’keeffe
BYD:19:02125, BYD:19:02115, BYD:19:02137
2 Lots 65, 66, 67 R Wilson
78A:19:06468, 78A:19:06470, 78A:19:06471
3 Lots 49, 130, 47 AandJ Lucas
DWT:19:01147, DWT:19:01121, DWT:19:01146