Two sales at Castleblayney Mart in Co Monaghan were cancelled in recent days and it is not known whether this week’s scheduled sales will go ahead.

The mart’s usual Friday cattle sale and Saturday sheep sale did not go ahead on 23 March and 24 March.

A sign placed on the mart office said the business was closed on Monday morning. However, this had been removed by Monday afternoon.

While the mart yard and lairage areas were open to the public during Monday, there was no staff visible in the yard.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that staff do not know if the next planned sale will take place.

The Irish Farmers Journal contacted the office asking about whether this week’s sales will go ahead and if the office was open on Monday.

A spokesperson for the business said that there will be “no comment at this time”.

The mart is run privately by the company Edward Paul Nugent Limited, with an address of Muckno Street, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan. The company's current director is Arthur Connell Nugent.

The mart is not a member of ICOS.

It is one of the only marts in the country to sell all types of livestock; cattle, sheep, horses, donkeys, pigs and poultry.

Last Friday’s cattle sale had been due to include 19 purebred Charolais bullocks and was scheduled to begin at 2.30pm before it was cancelled.

The last mart report published on the mart’s website included the cattle and sheep sales on Friday and Saturday 16 and 17 March.

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