This Saturday marked the end of the Ballyboy herd from The Ballagh, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, at the forefront of the black and white breed in Ireland for many years.

Jim and Úna along with their three daughters and grandson at the Ballyboy dispersal sale in The Ballagh, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. \Una Sinnott

Jim and Una Sinnott, along with their three daughters and grandson, welcomed over 100 bidders to their farm to sell their entire milking herd and young-stock. Farmers travelled from all across the country to the event with accents heard around the ring from Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Northern Ireland.

Carmen cows

The most impressive and successful cows of the Ballyboy herd, the Carmen cows, averaged well over €2,000. Heifer calves from these cows averaged at €800 and the remainder of in-calf heifers and cows gathered an average price of €1,800.

At the close of the sale, auctioneer Michael Taaffe commented that the family were "very pleased with the sale". Referring to the bidders, Taaffe mentioned that the sale was "lively" and had "plenty of competition all the way through".

Showing scene

It was an emotional day for the Sinnott family but they leave the showing scene with many happy memories and achievements with one of their finest hours being at the 2004 European Championship Show; The Ballyboy herd were apart of the winning Irish team at this event and they also claimed the 2nd prize in Brussels with their Ballyboy Juror Carmen (EX95-2E) in the senior cow class.

Note: the Irish Farmers Journal reporter at the sale Una Sinnott is not related to the seller going by the same name.