When we were growing up we used to show cattle, so there was a bit of rough and tumble with them. You’d get used to the rough and tumble with the horses and ponies as well. I trained my first calf on the halter when I was about eight and I was 13 when I broke my first horse. That’s what we were brought up doing.
We live outside Monasterboice in Co Louth. We breed horses and have Charolais cattle as well. I farm with my brother. My father passed away six years ago, so we’re just farming on. I’m a farrier and my brother works as well, so we’re just keeping things going, you know.
My father, who was Eamon Briscoe as well, was well-known in the horse world. He had great success with a Connemara pony we bred, Sillogue Darkie. That pony won Connemara Pony of the Decade in Europe in 2010. He was jumping from 2001 until 2013. We had people interested in buying him from when he was three, but we weren’t selling him. He was a standout, special pony.
We’ve had a couple of other good ponies as well. We had a winner in Dublin last year, Sillogue Sergei. The whole thing with breeding is to be able to pick out the good ones. It’s like an academy, you filter out the good ones and you put more time into them. So they can progress, send them onto riders then and do great things.
With the sucklers, we’ve about 40 of them. We’re after downsizing, we had 70 and we’re down to 40 with the way things are. If there was money in the sucklers, it’d be great. It’s a great lifestyle, but there’s just not enough in it.
My father was breeding Charolais cattle since 1968, he was one of the first lads to bring them into Ireland. The breeding ethos is the same there, keep the good ones, sell the rest. It’s a long time and we’d like to keep the tradition going. Something to get up on a Sunday morning for.
Getting the job done
I had ideas to be a jockey when I left school. Between weight and style, it didn’t work out. I’m a bit tall, I’d put it down to weight; I had the ability, I was just too heavy! I’m only joking, it was a mixture of both. Then my second choice was being a farrier, so I went with that.
Eamon says he could never see himself working an office job. \ Barry Cronin
During the day I’m shoeing; it’s a tough job, but it’s a very social job as well. I’m my own boss on both sides, I’ve got the best of both worlds. I can get my work done, then come home and get the yard done. It’s not a job at home, it’s a passion. I could never see myself working in an office. I don’t think they’d have me. I’m happy enough at what I’m at.
I could do half the yard in the morning and do half the yard in the evening. It’s tiring at times, but sure look it, you get the job done. The TV wouldn’t be turned on too often now in our house. As a wise man over beside us said: “The television is only for the winter time.” If we live our lives that way we’re not going to be too bad.
The late Eamon Briscoe Snr with the full sisters of Sillogue Darkie, who are Sillogue Maggie and Sillogue Rose.
What time I get up in the morning depends on the weather. If it was raining out I’d hold back until half seven. Some mornings I’d get up at five o’clock just to get outside and get the yard done before heading out to work.
Dreams of days in the sunshine like the RDS and the European’s keeps me going, and money in the pocket! The day in the sunshine is what it’s all about though. If you’ve one great year it keeps the buzz going and all the early mornings and the late evenings, it makes them worthwhile.
Joining Macra
I broke my wrist at the end of 2012 and I joined Macra in January 2013. Just out of boredom and having something to do when I was off, and I never looked back.
I went for Leinster vice president last year. I didn’t get it, but sure look it, that’s the way it goes. It was an absolutely fantastic experience. Something like that always adds to you. You never regret these things, because you carry the knowledge and the experience for the rest of your life.
I was on the Termonfeckin Macra debating team in 2017 – that’s my club. We won the Macra National Debating Final that year and that was also a great experience. It’s probably the highlight of my Macra years. It’s fantastic Macra, the amount of friends that you make countrywide is great.
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When we were growing up we used to show cattle, so there was a bit of rough and tumble with them. You’d get used to the rough and tumble with the horses and ponies as well. I trained my first calf on the halter when I was about eight and I was 13 when I broke my first horse. That’s what we were brought up doing.
We live outside Monasterboice in Co Louth. We breed horses and have Charolais cattle as well. I farm with my brother. My father passed away six years ago, so we’re just farming on. I’m a farrier and my brother works as well, so we’re just keeping things going, you know.
My father, who was Eamon Briscoe as well, was well-known in the horse world. He had great success with a Connemara pony we bred, Sillogue Darkie. That pony won Connemara Pony of the Decade in Europe in 2010. He was jumping from 2001 until 2013. We had people interested in buying him from when he was three, but we weren’t selling him. He was a standout, special pony.
We’ve had a couple of other good ponies as well. We had a winner in Dublin last year, Sillogue Sergei. The whole thing with breeding is to be able to pick out the good ones. It’s like an academy, you filter out the good ones and you put more time into them. So they can progress, send them onto riders then and do great things.
With the sucklers, we’ve about 40 of them. We’re after downsizing, we had 70 and we’re down to 40 with the way things are. If there was money in the sucklers, it’d be great. It’s a great lifestyle, but there’s just not enough in it.
My father was breeding Charolais cattle since 1968, he was one of the first lads to bring them into Ireland. The breeding ethos is the same there, keep the good ones, sell the rest. It’s a long time and we’d like to keep the tradition going. Something to get up on a Sunday morning for.
Getting the job done
I had ideas to be a jockey when I left school. Between weight and style, it didn’t work out. I’m a bit tall, I’d put it down to weight; I had the ability, I was just too heavy! I’m only joking, it was a mixture of both. Then my second choice was being a farrier, so I went with that.
Eamon says he could never see himself working an office job. \ Barry Cronin
During the day I’m shoeing; it’s a tough job, but it’s a very social job as well. I’m my own boss on both sides, I’ve got the best of both worlds. I can get my work done, then come home and get the yard done. It’s not a job at home, it’s a passion. I could never see myself working in an office. I don’t think they’d have me. I’m happy enough at what I’m at.
I could do half the yard in the morning and do half the yard in the evening. It’s tiring at times, but sure look it, you get the job done. The TV wouldn’t be turned on too often now in our house. As a wise man over beside us said: “The television is only for the winter time.” If we live our lives that way we’re not going to be too bad.
The late Eamon Briscoe Snr with the full sisters of Sillogue Darkie, who are Sillogue Maggie and Sillogue Rose.
What time I get up in the morning depends on the weather. If it was raining out I’d hold back until half seven. Some mornings I’d get up at five o’clock just to get outside and get the yard done before heading out to work.
Dreams of days in the sunshine like the RDS and the European’s keeps me going, and money in the pocket! The day in the sunshine is what it’s all about though. If you’ve one great year it keeps the buzz going and all the early mornings and the late evenings, it makes them worthwhile.
Joining Macra
I broke my wrist at the end of 2012 and I joined Macra in January 2013. Just out of boredom and having something to do when I was off, and I never looked back.
I went for Leinster vice president last year. I didn’t get it, but sure look it, that’s the way it goes. It was an absolutely fantastic experience. Something like that always adds to you. You never regret these things, because you carry the knowledge and the experience for the rest of your life.
I was on the Termonfeckin Macra debating team in 2017 – that’s my club. We won the Macra National Debating Final that year and that was also a great experience. It’s probably the highlight of my Macra years. It’s fantastic Macra, the amount of friends that you make countrywide is great.
Read more
Irish war horses and an international incident
Guinness launches €14 million fund to help Irish pubs
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