Trade for Limousin bulls just keeps on rallying, with another savage trade at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society's Premier show and sale in Central Auctions, Roscrea, on Monday 16 March. Veteran auctioneer George Candler and the up and coming Darren Hession barely got a chance to take breath on the rostrum, as the bids came in thick and fast, with just one bull going home unsold.
A total of 41 bulls sold to an incredible average of €7,778, the highest ever achieved at a Limousin Society sale in Ireland. Just two bulls went for export on the day, highlighting the strong contingent of Irish farmers in the market for Limousin genetics.
Van Damme
It was a day to relish for John Hickey and family from Thurles in Co Tipperary, as they claimed both the overall junior champion and the top price of the day with their 16-month-old bull, Brookland Van Damme.
Judge Louise Clarke couldn't take her eyes of the Knock MSport son, who goes back to a homebred daughter of Goldies Jackpot, leaving her in no doubt before draping the championship sash across his back.
Coming with a calving figure of just 4.3% on beef cows and a page full of stars, this double F94L carrier sold to Wexford breeder, Thomas Swaine, for a whopping €12,500.
Brilliant Lisna
It was an unbelievable outing for Galway breeder, Dermot Shaughnessy, as his team of bulls came away with the overall senior championship and the reserve junior championship, as well as a number of the leading prices. Picking up the reserve junior award was Lisna Viggo, an October 2024-born son of Tomschoice Lexicon and the Doudou Td daughter, Lisna Millie.
With two bothers topping previous sales and a page decorated with stars, he had buyers chomping at the bit, before eventually falling to the McPadden family for their top suckler herd in Co Offaly, for €11,400.
Lisna Vumax shown by Dermot Shaughnessy was senior champion and sold for €11,000.
Shaughnessy's senior champion, Lisna Vumax, romped his way to €11,000, selling to a large suckler herd in Co Kerry.
A son of Ampertaine Elgin and Lisna Meze, a Ampertaine Gigolo daughter, Vumax is a full brother to €12,200, Lisna Unique, who clinched the senior championship at the same venue in 2025. A single carrier of the F94L and Q204X genes, this September 2024-born bull ranked in the top 20% across all breeds on the terminal index.
Things only got better for the Lisna brigade, as Lisna Vexicon followed his stablemates through to €9,600, selling to Waterford man, William Galvin. A son of Tomschoice Lexicon and the Ampertaine Foreman-bred cow, Lisna Nacchie, he carries two copies of the profit gene as well as boasting a replacement index of €164 and a below average calving figure of 3.4% on beef cows.
Lisna Viggo shown by Mattie Kelly with Dermot and Tomas Shaughnessy was reserve junior champion and sold for €11,400.
Knock Msport
Laois breeder Brendan O'Shea got the sale of to a flying start, when he realised €9,500 for the first bull through the ring, Templequain Victor, a Knock Msport son from the Whinfellpark Lomu-bred cow, Templequain Selena. Offering buyers a massive terminal index of €201 and two copies of the F94L gene, he found a new home with a suckler farmer from Co Roscommon.
At the same price tag was the first prize winner, Shannon Viper, from Sarah McElligot, who made the long journey from Listowel in Co Kerry. Another son of the impressive Knock Msport, Vipers dam is a daughter of the french bred sire, Day. Born in July 2024 and ranking in the the top 20% of the breed across terminal and replacement, he was acquired by the Greenan farm in Co Meath.
Teleri Thomas from Co Meath was next best at €9,200 with Keltic Vito, a September 2024 born son of Keltic Rembrandt. With stars to burn and calving figures in the top 20% of the Limousin breed, Vito was the go to bull for numerous farmers in the yard, with Michael O'Neill from Co Limerick having the final call.
Stellar Templequain
Enda McGee then secured Templequain Viper from Brendan O'Shea at €9,100 for his elite suckler herd in Co Westmeath. Sired by the brilliant Knock Msport, this May 2024-born bull is out of Templequain Lavender, who descends from the best line of cows in the herd going back to Loosebeare Fantastic and Tatar B.
Viper sits in top 10% of the breed for terminal traits and carries two copies of the F94L gene.
Also hitting €9,100 was his comrade, Templequain Vance, who rounded of a stellar day's trading for Brendan O'Shea. Sired by Carrickmore Maximus ET and out of the Grangford Jojo daughter, Templequain Peach, he also claimed the reserve senior championship earlier in the day.
Although above average on calving, he packed a terminal index of €194 along with copies of both the F94L and Q204X genes and will join a suckler enterprise in Co Cavan.
Read all about it in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
Trade for Limousin bulls just keeps on rallying, with another savage trade at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society's Premier show and sale in Central Auctions, Roscrea, on Monday 16 March. Veteran auctioneer George Candler and the up and coming Darren Hession barely got a chance to take breath on the rostrum, as the bids came in thick and fast, with just one bull going home unsold.
A total of 41 bulls sold to an incredible average of €7,778, the highest ever achieved at a Limousin Society sale in Ireland. Just two bulls went for export on the day, highlighting the strong contingent of Irish farmers in the market for Limousin genetics.
Van Damme
It was a day to relish for John Hickey and family from Thurles in Co Tipperary, as they claimed both the overall junior champion and the top price of the day with their 16-month-old bull, Brookland Van Damme.
Judge Louise Clarke couldn't take her eyes of the Knock MSport son, who goes back to a homebred daughter of Goldies Jackpot, leaving her in no doubt before draping the championship sash across his back.
Coming with a calving figure of just 4.3% on beef cows and a page full of stars, this double F94L carrier sold to Wexford breeder, Thomas Swaine, for a whopping €12,500.
Brilliant Lisna
It was an unbelievable outing for Galway breeder, Dermot Shaughnessy, as his team of bulls came away with the overall senior championship and the reserve junior championship, as well as a number of the leading prices. Picking up the reserve junior award was Lisna Viggo, an October 2024-born son of Tomschoice Lexicon and the Doudou Td daughter, Lisna Millie.
With two bothers topping previous sales and a page decorated with stars, he had buyers chomping at the bit, before eventually falling to the McPadden family for their top suckler herd in Co Offaly, for €11,400.
Lisna Vumax shown by Dermot Shaughnessy was senior champion and sold for €11,000.
Shaughnessy's senior champion, Lisna Vumax, romped his way to €11,000, selling to a large suckler herd in Co Kerry.
A son of Ampertaine Elgin and Lisna Meze, a Ampertaine Gigolo daughter, Vumax is a full brother to €12,200, Lisna Unique, who clinched the senior championship at the same venue in 2025. A single carrier of the F94L and Q204X genes, this September 2024-born bull ranked in the top 20% across all breeds on the terminal index.
Things only got better for the Lisna brigade, as Lisna Vexicon followed his stablemates through to €9,600, selling to Waterford man, William Galvin. A son of Tomschoice Lexicon and the Ampertaine Foreman-bred cow, Lisna Nacchie, he carries two copies of the profit gene as well as boasting a replacement index of €164 and a below average calving figure of 3.4% on beef cows.
Lisna Viggo shown by Mattie Kelly with Dermot and Tomas Shaughnessy was reserve junior champion and sold for €11,400.
Knock Msport
Laois breeder Brendan O'Shea got the sale of to a flying start, when he realised €9,500 for the first bull through the ring, Templequain Victor, a Knock Msport son from the Whinfellpark Lomu-bred cow, Templequain Selena. Offering buyers a massive terminal index of €201 and two copies of the F94L gene, he found a new home with a suckler farmer from Co Roscommon.
At the same price tag was the first prize winner, Shannon Viper, from Sarah McElligot, who made the long journey from Listowel in Co Kerry. Another son of the impressive Knock Msport, Vipers dam is a daughter of the french bred sire, Day. Born in July 2024 and ranking in the the top 20% of the breed across terminal and replacement, he was acquired by the Greenan farm in Co Meath.
Teleri Thomas from Co Meath was next best at €9,200 with Keltic Vito, a September 2024 born son of Keltic Rembrandt. With stars to burn and calving figures in the top 20% of the Limousin breed, Vito was the go to bull for numerous farmers in the yard, with Michael O'Neill from Co Limerick having the final call.
Stellar Templequain
Enda McGee then secured Templequain Viper from Brendan O'Shea at €9,100 for his elite suckler herd in Co Westmeath. Sired by the brilliant Knock Msport, this May 2024-born bull is out of Templequain Lavender, who descends from the best line of cows in the herd going back to Loosebeare Fantastic and Tatar B.
Viper sits in top 10% of the breed for terminal traits and carries two copies of the F94L gene.
Also hitting €9,100 was his comrade, Templequain Vance, who rounded of a stellar day's trading for Brendan O'Shea. Sired by Carrickmore Maximus ET and out of the Grangford Jojo daughter, Templequain Peach, he also claimed the reserve senior championship earlier in the day.
Although above average on calving, he packed a terminal index of €194 along with copies of both the F94L and Q204X genes and will join a suckler enterprise in Co Cavan.
Read all about it in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
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