For anyone involved in cattle showing circles, Cathal O’Meara is likely to be a familiar face whether it is in the pedigree or commercial cattle rings in Ireland or further afield.
Hailing from Ardnacrusha in Co Clare, Cathal began showing at 12 years of age having grown up surrounded by a number of top show men and women.
Cathal’s grandfather Hubert Galvin successfully ran the Doonan Limousin herd while his uncle Hubert Galvin runs the Lissduff Limousin herd and his uncle Noel Galvin runs the Kiltananlae Charolais herd.
May 2017 interbreed champion and Bandon Co-op super young commercial heiferJaffacake at Bandon show, owned by the McGivern family and shown by Cathal O'Meara
Young O’Meara was always involved with pedigree cattle through his grandfather and his uncles but his showing career really took off when their neighbour Donal Moloney from the Ardnacrusha Limousin herd took Cathal under his wing.
Cathal O'Meara, Ardnacrusha, with the supreme champion Limousin, Étoile, at Newmarket-on-Fergus agricultural show in May 2011.
Growvite All-Ireland champion 2022, Mercury Special Tinge is presented with the All-Ireland champion trophy by Mark O'Rourke and Stephen Lyons of Univet. From left: Catherine Smyth, Cathal O'Meara, president of the IAAA, Eustace Burke, judge Angus Stovold and breeder Shane Murphy.
Cathal fondly recalls his first day on the show circuit. “I remember it well. The first animal I ever showed was a pedigree Limousin heifer sired by Ideal 23 belonging to Donal Moloney. I can’t remember her name but I remember her tag (number) was 389 and she was out of a cow called Lindy. My first day out with Donal was at Bandon Show in Co Cork.
“The heifer won her class, was Limousin champion and won the supreme interbreed championship. I went on to win the young handlers that day and I never really looked back.”
The €12,800 sale topper Ballym Rocco that sold to Dovea Genetics with breeders Isabelle, Colm and Louise Quinn and stockman Cathal O'Meara.
Cathal O'Meara with Hurricane Scatman at Limerick Show 2022.
After his first day of successful showing, Cathal has more or less been unstoppable, showing every weekend after that and every year since until the dreaded Covid-19, which put a stop to shows for two years. However, with a smile on his face, Cathal states: “We’re back stronger than ever now.”
Big wins
While catching up with Cathal, we asked him what were the big wins that stood out in his show career, to which he said: “Tullamore Show 2016… My brother Daire was showing a pedigree Limousin heifer, Hurricane Kayla, who was sired by Ampertaine Foreman. Of all the wins we’ve had this one probably stands out the most. It was my first time showing a champion in Tullamore at the National Livestock Show and I was absolutely delighted to show her and to get the win for Daire. Kayla later sold to the Illingworth family of the Glenrock Limousin herd in the UK for €8,000, which was another massive achievement.”
Cathal O'Meara exhibiting Hurricane Scatman ET on behalf of his brother Daire O'Meara. Scatman was the interbreed reserve male champion at the 50th Limousin anniversary show in Carrick-on-Shannon in September 2022. \ Alfie Shaw
Cathal grew up as a member of the Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s Young Members Association (YMA) and competed on the national stage representing Ireland at the Anglo Irish finals on a number of occasions.
Cathal said: “The YMA was massive. It was great for me and the more young people that get involved the better. It’s fierce important to get young people involved in young members’ and development programmes because if the youth aren’t following us on there will be nothing to come after us. I became a YMA co-ordinator with my own Clare Limousin club because I’d love to give back what I got out of the YMA.”
Top herds
Cathal has shown for some of the top breeders in the country over the past number of years, including for Donal Moloney – Ardnacrusha Limousins, Tom Bailey – Bailey Limousins; Shane Murphy – Mercury Angus; Malachy Tighe – Tara Herd; Dr Michael Sheehan – Luddenmore Angus, Doreen Corridan – Roundhill Limousins; Bobby O’Connell – Ballybrown Herd; Colm and Louise Quinn – Ballym Charolais; Mark Philips – Maps Limousin UK; John Elliot – Rawburn Herd, Scotland, and KBS Genetics in France to name but a few. As well as showing all over Ireland, Cathal has exhibited at shows in England, Scotland and France. He said “it was an honour to be asked to show and a great experience to travel outside of Ireland to see different stock and different ways of doing things”.
Cathal O'Meara exhibiting Hollingreave Rosy on behalf of Mark Philips at the 50th anniversary Limousin Show in Borderway in July 2022.
“Travelling to France was a great experience for me, their cattle and the way they show is very different. They usually groom the cattle with just water so when I went over we did them up with soaps and adhesives, which attracted a lot of attention. I made great friends out there and got to meet so many new people. I’m really grateful for those experiences.”
We asked Cathal if shows and sales were something that played an important role in his life and he said: “Yes, you have the social side of showing to start with, where you get to meet great people from all over and build friendships for life. But it’s an absolute drug – a real addiction.
“The joy of heading off on a Sunday morning and hopefully winning and catching up with friends is a great feeling and you learn to appreciate the losses and what they teach you. If there were no shows we would have nothing to feed our addiction.
“It’s always nice to have a winner but you can’t always be at the top – it’s about taking part. Not every day will be your day, and they are the days you just have to bite your tongue and keep moving.”
Cathal on showing
a champion
“Personally, I always like to have the animal turned out the best I can. Get the animal groomed and clipped to its best and focus on highlighting the good points, hiding the lesser points.
“I always like to be the first into the [show] ring with an animal. I think it’s very important to make sure your animal is seen.
“Whether you win or lose, it’s always nice to turn to the person beside you and either congratulate them or commiserate them – and never turn on a judge. Shows find it hard enough to get judges and you should always respect the judge’s decision whether you agree with it or not.
“Dress to impress! A white coat, shirt and tie and clean boots go a long way.”
Picking animals for the show ring
“I think picking an animal that is correct on all four legs is very important and, after that, it really is down to personal preference. Pick something that catches your eye and stands out to you. Personally, when buying an animal I always put emphasis on an animal that is sound on their legs and feet, style, class and a nice head and something with a presence about them in the show ring,” Cathal told the Irish Farmers Journal.
We thought it would be fitting to conclude our interview with Cathal by asking him who influenced him on his showing journey.
“My brother Daire – he taught me everything I know really.
“I was always watching him clipping and showing and producing quality cattle and he had a massive influence on me.
“Nowadays, we battle over who is the better show man or who is better on a clippers. We always back ourselves, of course, but I did learn from the best,” Cathal added, jokingly.
“My grandfather and uncles also played a huge part in that, growing up surrounded by good-quality stock. And, of course, Donal Moloney who really launched me into the world of showing. My mother was also a big influence.
“She travelled the length and breadth of the country bringing me to shows and events and made sure that I never gave up,” he concluded.
For anyone involved in cattle showing circles, Cathal O’Meara is likely to be a familiar face whether it is in the pedigree or commercial cattle rings in Ireland or further afield.
Hailing from Ardnacrusha in Co Clare, Cathal began showing at 12 years of age having grown up surrounded by a number of top show men and women.
Cathal’s grandfather Hubert Galvin successfully ran the Doonan Limousin herd while his uncle Hubert Galvin runs the Lissduff Limousin herd and his uncle Noel Galvin runs the Kiltananlae Charolais herd.
May 2017 interbreed champion and Bandon Co-op super young commercial heiferJaffacake at Bandon show, owned by the McGivern family and shown by Cathal O'Meara
Young O’Meara was always involved with pedigree cattle through his grandfather and his uncles but his showing career really took off when their neighbour Donal Moloney from the Ardnacrusha Limousin herd took Cathal under his wing.
Cathal O'Meara, Ardnacrusha, with the supreme champion Limousin, Étoile, at Newmarket-on-Fergus agricultural show in May 2011.
Growvite All-Ireland champion 2022, Mercury Special Tinge is presented with the All-Ireland champion trophy by Mark O'Rourke and Stephen Lyons of Univet. From left: Catherine Smyth, Cathal O'Meara, president of the IAAA, Eustace Burke, judge Angus Stovold and breeder Shane Murphy.
Cathal fondly recalls his first day on the show circuit. “I remember it well. The first animal I ever showed was a pedigree Limousin heifer sired by Ideal 23 belonging to Donal Moloney. I can’t remember her name but I remember her tag (number) was 389 and she was out of a cow called Lindy. My first day out with Donal was at Bandon Show in Co Cork.
“The heifer won her class, was Limousin champion and won the supreme interbreed championship. I went on to win the young handlers that day and I never really looked back.”
The €12,800 sale topper Ballym Rocco that sold to Dovea Genetics with breeders Isabelle, Colm and Louise Quinn and stockman Cathal O'Meara.
Cathal O'Meara with Hurricane Scatman at Limerick Show 2022.
After his first day of successful showing, Cathal has more or less been unstoppable, showing every weekend after that and every year since until the dreaded Covid-19, which put a stop to shows for two years. However, with a smile on his face, Cathal states: “We’re back stronger than ever now.”
Big wins
While catching up with Cathal, we asked him what were the big wins that stood out in his show career, to which he said: “Tullamore Show 2016… My brother Daire was showing a pedigree Limousin heifer, Hurricane Kayla, who was sired by Ampertaine Foreman. Of all the wins we’ve had this one probably stands out the most. It was my first time showing a champion in Tullamore at the National Livestock Show and I was absolutely delighted to show her and to get the win for Daire. Kayla later sold to the Illingworth family of the Glenrock Limousin herd in the UK for €8,000, which was another massive achievement.”
Cathal O'Meara exhibiting Hurricane Scatman ET on behalf of his brother Daire O'Meara. Scatman was the interbreed reserve male champion at the 50th Limousin anniversary show in Carrick-on-Shannon in September 2022. \ Alfie Shaw
Cathal grew up as a member of the Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s Young Members Association (YMA) and competed on the national stage representing Ireland at the Anglo Irish finals on a number of occasions.
Cathal said: “The YMA was massive. It was great for me and the more young people that get involved the better. It’s fierce important to get young people involved in young members’ and development programmes because if the youth aren’t following us on there will be nothing to come after us. I became a YMA co-ordinator with my own Clare Limousin club because I’d love to give back what I got out of the YMA.”
Top herds
Cathal has shown for some of the top breeders in the country over the past number of years, including for Donal Moloney – Ardnacrusha Limousins, Tom Bailey – Bailey Limousins; Shane Murphy – Mercury Angus; Malachy Tighe – Tara Herd; Dr Michael Sheehan – Luddenmore Angus, Doreen Corridan – Roundhill Limousins; Bobby O’Connell – Ballybrown Herd; Colm and Louise Quinn – Ballym Charolais; Mark Philips – Maps Limousin UK; John Elliot – Rawburn Herd, Scotland, and KBS Genetics in France to name but a few. As well as showing all over Ireland, Cathal has exhibited at shows in England, Scotland and France. He said “it was an honour to be asked to show and a great experience to travel outside of Ireland to see different stock and different ways of doing things”.
Cathal O'Meara exhibiting Hollingreave Rosy on behalf of Mark Philips at the 50th anniversary Limousin Show in Borderway in July 2022.
“Travelling to France was a great experience for me, their cattle and the way they show is very different. They usually groom the cattle with just water so when I went over we did them up with soaps and adhesives, which attracted a lot of attention. I made great friends out there and got to meet so many new people. I’m really grateful for those experiences.”
We asked Cathal if shows and sales were something that played an important role in his life and he said: “Yes, you have the social side of showing to start with, where you get to meet great people from all over and build friendships for life. But it’s an absolute drug – a real addiction.
“The joy of heading off on a Sunday morning and hopefully winning and catching up with friends is a great feeling and you learn to appreciate the losses and what they teach you. If there were no shows we would have nothing to feed our addiction.
“It’s always nice to have a winner but you can’t always be at the top – it’s about taking part. Not every day will be your day, and they are the days you just have to bite your tongue and keep moving.”
Cathal on showing
a champion
“Personally, I always like to have the animal turned out the best I can. Get the animal groomed and clipped to its best and focus on highlighting the good points, hiding the lesser points.
“I always like to be the first into the [show] ring with an animal. I think it’s very important to make sure your animal is seen.
“Whether you win or lose, it’s always nice to turn to the person beside you and either congratulate them or commiserate them – and never turn on a judge. Shows find it hard enough to get judges and you should always respect the judge’s decision whether you agree with it or not.
“Dress to impress! A white coat, shirt and tie and clean boots go a long way.”
Picking animals for the show ring
“I think picking an animal that is correct on all four legs is very important and, after that, it really is down to personal preference. Pick something that catches your eye and stands out to you. Personally, when buying an animal I always put emphasis on an animal that is sound on their legs and feet, style, class and a nice head and something with a presence about them in the show ring,” Cathal told the Irish Farmers Journal.
We thought it would be fitting to conclude our interview with Cathal by asking him who influenced him on his showing journey.
“My brother Daire – he taught me everything I know really.
“I was always watching him clipping and showing and producing quality cattle and he had a massive influence on me.
“Nowadays, we battle over who is the better show man or who is better on a clippers. We always back ourselves, of course, but I did learn from the best,” Cathal added, jokingly.
“My grandfather and uncles also played a huge part in that, growing up surrounded by good-quality stock. And, of course, Donal Moloney who really launched me into the world of showing. My mother was also a big influence.
“She travelled the length and breadth of the country bringing me to shows and events and made sure that I never gave up,” he concluded.
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