National Suffolk Championships 2022

National Suffolk Championships 2022

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.

South of Ireland Branch Premier Show & Sale – Blessington 2021

South of Ireland Branch Premier Show & Sale – Blessington 2021

Ballinatone Flock Suffolk Ram sets New Irish Record at Blessington

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.FLOCKPRICE IN EUROSBUYER
70BALLINATONE44,000PDW Taylor, A Gault, R McLaughlin, R Thompson & J Guilherme
158MULLINVALE34,000S & W Tait
119LIMEPARK7,500S Sufferin
194SHANNAGH6,500S Sufferin
129KILMACOO5,000S Delval
173MALINHEAD5,000PJ Howard

Show Results

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

Ballot Draw for SOI Branch Premier Sale

Blessington 2021

SHEARLING EWE DRAW
VENDORPREFIX
1JOHN GAHANBarronstown
2S & F BRIGDALEAtomic
3JOHN HANLYNoan
4JAMES O’CONNELLKnockogan
5ROBERT TAITBawn
6KENNETH BAILEYLismurtagh
7COLIN WATCHORNBeechbrook
8DAVID QUINLANMonefelim
9COOTE GEELANLoughrynn
10RYAN GREENELarahirl
11ROBERT WALKERKilcurley
EWE LAMB DRAW
VENDORPREFIX
1JEFFERY THORNTONKillyclug
2COOTE GEELANLoughrynn
3GERRY KILLILEACarragh
4DAVID QUINLANMonefelim
5JAMES O’CONNELLKnockogan
6CHARLES HUGHESLankill
7ROBERT WALKERKilcurley
8KENNETH BAILEYLismurtagh
9PHILIP LYNCHGlyde
10NOEL QUINLANGoresbridge
11OLIVER DEANEMountford
12ROBERT TAITBawn
13JOHN MOLLOYMolloy
14S & F BRIGDALEAtomic
15STUART ROBBBlueridge
16TOMMY CAVANAGHGlenagh
17COLIN WATCHORNBeechbrook
18BRIAN BOLANDLisnatubrid
19JOHN GAHANBarronstown
20ALAN STANLEYCastlegrogan
 
 
SHEARLING RAM DRAW
VENDORPREFIX
1JAMES O’CONNELLKnockogan
RAM LAMB DRAW
VENDORPREFIX
1CHARLES HUGHESLankill
2TOMMY CAVANAGHGlenagh
3JAMES O’CONNELLKnockogan
4ANDY SMITHLoughanleagh
5AARON BOYLEGarvan
6M & S JOYCEBallintleva
7GERRY KILLILEACarragh
8DARRAGH MCMENAMINMullinvale
9JOHN MOLLOYMolloy
10PATRICK GALLAGHERMeenlaragh
11JOHN GAHANBarronstown
12ALAN STANLEYCastlegrogan
13AARON KEALYIvybrook
14DAVID QUINLANMonefelim
15RICHARD THOMPSONBallinatone
16OLIVER DEANEMountford
17STUART ROBBBlueridge
18RONAN MCLAUGHLINBallyboe
19RYAN GREENELarahirl
20J & M DOHERTYMalinhead
21ROBERT TAITBawn
22PATRICK O’KEEFFEBlackwater
23ANDREW WILSONCastleisle
24NIALL CASSIDYScreen
25JOHN STACEYHillstone
26SEAMUS BROWNEErrigal
27JOHN BRILLYMooretown
28COLIN WATCHORNBeechbrook
29MARK FOXKinkellew
30SEAN O’CONNORIslandmore
31ALAN KILPATRICKConvoy
32JEFFERY THORNTONKillyclug
33NOEL QUINLANGoresbridge
34PADDY CAROLANMuff
35SEAN MONAGLETully
36ROBERT WALKERKilcurley
37W & R WILSONShannagh
38EAMONN DUFFYKells
39GUS DOYLECronebane
40KENNETH BAILEYLismurtagh
41TREVOR BURKEDeburca
42GARTH GRAHAMKirriemuir
43S & S GAHANBarrowlands
44PHILIP BYRNELimepark
45PHILIP LYNCHGlyde
46DEREK BASKINRailstown
47MARTY MCDERMOTTGulladuff
48SEAN PAUL MCHUGHBonyglen
49SUSAN O’KEEFFEClyda
50TOM FEENEYDrumbarron
51BRIAN DOYLEKilmacoo
52PJ MCMONAGLEAughnakeeragh
53DOHERTY BROSCionn-mhalanna
54ARTHUR O’KEEFFEAnnakisha
55HARRY GRAHAMWestside
56ANN O’MAHONEYBallygarvanstud
57JAMES CORCORANFoxhurst
58MICHAEL HASTINGSWestern
59C & S MCGARRYKnocknagarry
60BRIAN BOLANDLisnatubrid
61GABRIEL CONROYLambay
62J & A LUCASFinnvale
63JOHN HANLYNoan
South of Ireland Branch Premier Show and Sale – Blessington 2020

South of Ireland Branch Premier Show and Sale – Blessington 2020

Castleisle Kilteskin Prince achieves top price from P O’Keeffe

Date: 1st August 2020

Auctioneer: JP & M Doyle

Judge: Campbell Watson, Bannview Flock

62% clearance for the largest pedigree Suffolk sale in Ireland despite Covid-19

LOT NO.FLOCKPRICE IN EUROSBUYER
41BLACKWATER6,500AJ & N Robinson
112ERRIGAL3,000R Tait
94BARRONSTOWN2,600D McCaughren
93BARRONSTOWN2,200M O’Neill
131FINNVALE2,100F Collard
34KILLYCLUG2,000K Casey
46ANNAKISHA1,800G Conroy
114ERRIGAL1,700T Feeney
170BARRONSTOWN1,700PJ Howard
42LIMEPARK1,600J Trimble
64BEECHBROOK1,500R Sands
124CONVOY1,400M McNally
150BEECHBROOK1,300C Finnegan

 Click here to view top price Blackwater NBK:20:06088

Show Results

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

South of Ireland Branch Premier Show and Sale – Blessington 2019

South of Ireland Branch Premier Show and Sale – Blessington 2019

Top Price 3,000gns for Limepark Ram

Date: 2nd – 3rd August 2019

Sponsor: Lamlac

Auctioneers: JP and M Doyle

Judge: Ron Grieg, Tillydesk Flock

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

All Star Sale – Blessington 2019

Date: 30th November 2019

Auctioneer: JP & M Doyle

THE 3rd Annual All Star Sale held at Blessington Mart on Saturday 30th November was a tremendous success with almost 100% clearance. A number of sheep were exported to the UK and Northern Ireland with the remainder sold to breeders all over Ireland.

The gimmers, ewes and ewe lambs on offer where of a very high standard and excellent value for money.

NameHighest PriceNo. of sheep soldAverage
Gerry Killilea – Carragh1,400 gns6937 gns
Seamus Browne – Errigal1,400 gns13887 gns
Alan Kilpatrick – Convoy1,200 gns12818 gns
Trevor Burke – DeBurca1,400 gns6783 gns
Oliver Deane – Mountford950gns22477 gns
Garth Graham – Kirriemuir720 gns5464 gns


We would like to thank anyone who helped in any way. We would also like to thank John Doyle and his staff for
a job well done. Ian Donald for his professional grooming service to many of the flocks and to Alfie Shaw for the first class photos. Next All Star Sale, Saturday 28th November 2020.


Finally the best of luck to all the purchasers from Seamus Browne, Trevor Burke, Gerry Killilea and guest consigners Oliver Deane, Garth Graham and Alan Kilpatrick.