Just 19 bulls were offered for sale at the Irish Charolais Cattle Society's opening sale of 2026 in Golden Vale Mart, Tullamore, on Saturday 21 February. Much smaller than the 39 cataloged, the bulls present did witness a reasonable demand, with 15 selling to a healthy average of €6,034. The low number of bulls a stark reality of the decline in suckler cow numbers and beef farmers over the last decade in Ireland. Less than 10 years ago, the same sale had over 100 Charolais bulls cataloged with clearances of over 70% achieved.
Mayo bull
Enjoying a brilliant day at the office after making the long journey from Westport in Co Mayo was William Scanlon, who took home the overall championship and top price of €10,200 for Fermoyle Verome. One of the younger lots on the day at just 15-months-old, this well-made son of the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC) sire Cloonradoon Ricky goes back to Jupiter and the great Pirate on his dams line. A single carrier of the Q204X gene, Verome ranks in the bottom 40% of the Charolais breed on both terminal and replacement and was well above average on calving. Despite this, the Mayo bred bull had lots of commercial interest, crossing into five figures and selling to suckler farmer Alo Delaney in Co Laois.
Fermoyle Vito sold for €7,200. \ Tricia Kennedy
Earlier in the day, the Mayo man also received a call of €7,200 for his second bull, Fermoyle Vito, an August 2024-born son of Orbi out of a homebred dam by Meillard Rj. Packed with stars, Vito came to auction with replacement and terminal indexes in the top 10% of the breed along with well below average calving figures. A third prize winner in his class, he was acquired by JJ Feeney in Co Sligo.
Pirate son
Knocking on the door at €8,000 was the bull standing second to the champion in his class, Larahill Vermont ET from John O'Connor in Co Westmeath. A direct son of the breed legend, Pirate, his dam Ballydownan Octavia ET is a daughter of the great CF52 going back to Utrillo Mic. Like the champion, he possesses one copy of the Q gene, but also packed a five star terminal index of €178 along with a massive carcase weight figure of 41kg ranking him in the top 20% of the breed. He was knocked down to suckler farmer Liam Corcoran in Co Offaly.
Larahill Vermont ET sold for €8,000. \ Tricia Kennedy
Two bulls parted ways at €7,000, the first coming from Martin Shevlin in Co Cavan in the form of Nolagh Vance 2. A class winner in the pre-sale show, this September 2024-born son of the UK-bred Mornity Nero is out of a Cavelands Fenian bred cow and holds one copy of the Q gene. Despite being above average on calving, he displayed a nice array of indexes, ranking in the top 10% of the breed for both replacement and terminal. Auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the gavel on this one to a suckler farmer in Co Meath.
Lisnagre Verie ET shown by Michael Carey for breeder Jim Geoghegan sold for €7,000. \ Tricia Kennedy
Also hitting the €7,000 mark was Westmeath breeder Jim Geoghegan with Lisnagre Verie ET, an October 2024 born son of CF52 going back to the iconic Ballydownan Simone ET. He boasted a five-star terminal index of €169 along with a carcase weight figure of 49kg and went away with a suckler farmer from Co Clare.
Reserve champion
Judge Basil Bothwell from Co Cavan found his reserve overall champion in the Monaghan-bred bull, Derryolam Vacha, a 16-month-old son of Pacha from Niall McNally. Homebred on his mother's side going back to Excellent and CF52, Vacha offered favorable calving figures on both cows and heifers and was the pick of a suckler farmer in Co Clare.
Read all about Saturday's sale in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
Just 19 bulls were offered for sale at the Irish Charolais Cattle Society's opening sale of 2026 in Golden Vale Mart, Tullamore, on Saturday 21 February. Much smaller than the 39 cataloged, the bulls present did witness a reasonable demand, with 15 selling to a healthy average of €6,034. The low number of bulls a stark reality of the decline in suckler cow numbers and beef farmers over the last decade in Ireland. Less than 10 years ago, the same sale had over 100 Charolais bulls cataloged with clearances of over 70% achieved.
Mayo bull
Enjoying a brilliant day at the office after making the long journey from Westport in Co Mayo was William Scanlon, who took home the overall championship and top price of €10,200 for Fermoyle Verome. One of the younger lots on the day at just 15-months-old, this well-made son of the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC) sire Cloonradoon Ricky goes back to Jupiter and the great Pirate on his dams line. A single carrier of the Q204X gene, Verome ranks in the bottom 40% of the Charolais breed on both terminal and replacement and was well above average on calving. Despite this, the Mayo bred bull had lots of commercial interest, crossing into five figures and selling to suckler farmer Alo Delaney in Co Laois.
Fermoyle Vito sold for €7,200. \ Tricia Kennedy
Earlier in the day, the Mayo man also received a call of €7,200 for his second bull, Fermoyle Vito, an August 2024-born son of Orbi out of a homebred dam by Meillard Rj. Packed with stars, Vito came to auction with replacement and terminal indexes in the top 10% of the breed along with well below average calving figures. A third prize winner in his class, he was acquired by JJ Feeney in Co Sligo.
Pirate son
Knocking on the door at €8,000 was the bull standing second to the champion in his class, Larahill Vermont ET from John O'Connor in Co Westmeath. A direct son of the breed legend, Pirate, his dam Ballydownan Octavia ET is a daughter of the great CF52 going back to Utrillo Mic. Like the champion, he possesses one copy of the Q gene, but also packed a five star terminal index of €178 along with a massive carcase weight figure of 41kg ranking him in the top 20% of the breed. He was knocked down to suckler farmer Liam Corcoran in Co Offaly.
Larahill Vermont ET sold for €8,000. \ Tricia Kennedy
Two bulls parted ways at €7,000, the first coming from Martin Shevlin in Co Cavan in the form of Nolagh Vance 2. A class winner in the pre-sale show, this September 2024-born son of the UK-bred Mornity Nero is out of a Cavelands Fenian bred cow and holds one copy of the Q gene. Despite being above average on calving, he displayed a nice array of indexes, ranking in the top 10% of the breed for both replacement and terminal. Auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the gavel on this one to a suckler farmer in Co Meath.
Lisnagre Verie ET shown by Michael Carey for breeder Jim Geoghegan sold for €7,000. \ Tricia Kennedy
Also hitting the €7,000 mark was Westmeath breeder Jim Geoghegan with Lisnagre Verie ET, an October 2024 born son of CF52 going back to the iconic Ballydownan Simone ET. He boasted a five-star terminal index of €169 along with a carcase weight figure of 49kg and went away with a suckler farmer from Co Clare.
Reserve champion
Judge Basil Bothwell from Co Cavan found his reserve overall champion in the Monaghan-bred bull, Derryolam Vacha, a 16-month-old son of Pacha from Niall McNally. Homebred on his mother's side going back to Excellent and CF52, Vacha offered favorable calving figures on both cows and heifers and was the pick of a suckler farmer in Co Clare.
Read all about Saturday's sale in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
SHARING OPTIONS