Weathering the storm

Teddy Creedon, Ballyvourney, Co Cork, feeding his one-year-old Scotch Blackfaced ewes on Mullaghanish Mountain, Co Cork. Teddy, a representative for the IFA hill farmers, is pictured during this week’s adverse weather conditions, which saw storm Ciara bringing snow, high winds, thunder and lightning. Storm Denis is forecast for the coming weekend. \ Valerie O’Sullivan

Teddy Creedon, Ballyvourney, Co Cork, feeding his one-year-old Scotch Blackfaced ewes on Mullaghanish Mountain, Co Cork. \ Valerie O’Sullivan

Glenmore organic dairy head sale

The busy sale ring at the Glenmore organic dairy head sale on Saturday last. \ Clive Wasson

Sam Dowds and David Keys. \ Clive Wasson

Buyers and spectators at the Glenmore organic dairy head sale on Saturday last. \ Clive Wasson

Linda Henderson and Pearl Bustard. \ Clive Wasson

Glenmore stock getting their rations. \ Clive Wasson

Noel Spellman farming in Craughwell, Co Galway

Sheep and cattle farmer Noel Spellman supplementing the diet of his flock of Texel/Suffolk ewes and lambs at Emlagh, Craughwell, Co Galway. \ David Ruffles

Noel Spellman tending to his purebred Limousin bull.\ David Ruffles

Noel Spellman feeding cattle nuts to weanlings. \ David Ruffles

Sheep and cattle farmer Noel Spellman farm in Emlagh, Craughwell, Co Galway. \ David Ruffles

Topping up a herd of Salers and Charolais-cross cattle with silage and meal

Liam Brennan from Rossmore, Co Carlow, tops up his herd of Salers and Charolais-cross cattle with silage and meal during the recent snow. \ Philip Doyle

Liam Brennan. \ Philip Doyle

The view from Rossmore over Carlow town with the snowcapped Wicklow mountains in the background as snow clouds roll in. \ Philip Doyle

Celebrating 60 years of trading at Carlow Mart

Cattle enter the ring at a well-attended weekly cattle sale in Carlow Mart on Monday. \ Philip Doyle

Leinster Marts manager Jimmy Walsh and Jim Byrne, Gormanstown, Kilcullen, Co Kildare, reminisce on the first sale held in Carlow Mart on 20 March 1959, with prices recorded in pounds, shillings and pence. In addition to Carlow Mart celebrating 60 years of trading, Leinster Marts marked 50 years of trading at a special event held on Monday. Jimmy and Jim explained that marts faced significant challenges at the outset, with dealers opposed to change and committed to retaining the system for trading livestock. To entice buyers to trade, a luck penny payment was officially added into the sellers’ sale commission and given to the buyer. Jim says that marts transformed the process of trading cattle for farmers by introducing a transparent auction system. Prior to this, he remembers cases where he walked cattle 15 miles to the fair in Naas and home again after failing to be bid for his cattle. \ Philip Doyle

Spreading slurry in Kilconeiron, Co Galway

Agricultural contractor Brian Murphy from Kinvara using a dribble bar and umbilical rig to spread slurry on dairy farmer Niall Callinan’s land in Kilconeiron, Craughwell, Co Galway. \ David Ruffles

Agricultural contractor Brian Murphy from Kinvara using a dribble bar and umbilical rig to spread slurry on dairy farmer Niall Callinan’s land in Kilconeiron, Craughwell, Co Galway. \ David Ruffles

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