The quality of in-lamb shearling ewes and ewe lambs on offer last Saturday at Blessington Mart was testament to the fact that some of the best bloodlines in the breed were on offer.

An overall clearance of 90% saw sheep selling to the four provinces of Ireland as well as to Spain, Portugal, Holland and Romania. A strong European trade made for a very successful sale with a sale average of €1,125.

Top price of the day was for an in-lamb gimmer put forward by Andrew and Richard Wilson of the renowned Castleisle and Shannagh flocks in Co Donegal. This gimmer was sired by Blackbrae Black Label and out of a Castleisle Kilteskin Prince ewe and sold scanned carrying twins to Ballynacannon Iron Mike for €2,800.

Her ET sisters sold for €2,600 and €2,000. Selling at €2,300 was a Crewelands Frontline daughter out of a Limestone Aston Martin ewe carrying twins to Castleisle A Kingsman. The Wilsons enjoyed a pen average of €1,410 for their consignment of 19 gimmers.

A and J Lucas of the Finnvale Flock secured €2,400 for their Frongoy Formula One gimmer out of an Oakbridge Maximus ewe, scanned carrying twins to Claycrop MacAllister, while Richard Thompson of the Ballinatone Flock secured €2,200 for another daughter of Blackbrae Black Label. She was out of a Strathbogie I’m Invincible dam and was carrying twins to Limestone McLaren.

Three gimmers hit the €2,000 mark including a daughter of Shannagh Top Gun out of a Rookery Ace of Hearts ewe which sold carrying twins to Crewelands Dancing Brave. She was the property of John Doherty of the Malinhead Flock in Co Donegal.

Next up at €2,000 was a Ballinatone BT Buddy daughter out of a Clyda Impeccable ewe scanned carrying twins to Blackbrae AB President from the Annakisha and Blackwater Flocks of Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe from Co Cork.

Quality ewe lambs were on fire at the sale with Richard Thompson and Dennis Taylor topping at €2,500. First up at €2,500 was Richard Thompson’s ewe lamb sired by Birness Hustler and out of a Birness ewe by Ballynacannon Noah.

Dennis Taylor of the Ballynacannon Flock received €2,500 for his Lakeview Fury ewe lamb out of a Ballynacannon Discovery ewe and €2,400 for another Lakeview Fury ewe lamb out of a Birness Muzza dam.

Mark Priestley of the Limestone Flock topped the sale at €2,400 for a Castleisle A Kingsman ewe lamb, while selling her maternal sister by Forkins Baby Freedom for €2,000.

Also selling at 2,000gns for Jim and Sean Gahan was a Pankymoor Prelude ewe lamb out of a Strathbogie A Kind of Magic ewe. Overall, 40 lots made 1,000gns or more under auctioneer John Doyle.