Based in the outskirts of Letterkenny in Co Donegal Seamus Browne has farmed a flock of pedigree Suffolk sheep since 2007. Pedigree sheep farming is no easy task at the best of times but over the years it has become a way of life for Seamus, who has managed the flock and running the family business hand in hand.
Seamus grew up around sheep and was always drawn to the Suffolk breed. This saw him establish his pedigree Errigal flock in 2007 with the purchase of three in-lamb gimmers and three ewe lambs.
In 2008 he went on to buy his first pedigree stock ram. This ram lamb was the overall champion at the Donegal Premier sale. That year he also added three in-lamb gimmers and one ewe lamb from the Bailey flock dispersal.
These four strong females went on to have a large impact on the flock.
In 2012 Seamus purchased a full sister to the 10,000gns Cairnton the Cracker for 5,000gns as an in-lamb gimmer. This ewe went on to have a massive influence on the flock’s future genetics.
In addition, a large number of females bought into the flock over the years have been purchased from dispersal sales all across Ireland and the UK.
Show success
In the early years of the flock’s development Seamus was a familiar face at local and national shows. Having shown at the national show for 10 consecutive years, the Errigal flock has had many very successful national show days.
The first national show attended by the Errigal flock was in 2010 when the flock picked up the first four placings in a strong novice class.
The peak of the flock’s performance at national shows was 2011 when it secured the overall champion title with the ram lamb, Errigal Simply the Best. Seamus said “this ram lamb was just a stand out from day one.”
Simply the Best was retained in the Errigal flock for breeding and he went on to breed the untrimmed ewe lamb champion at the 2012 national championships when he also won his class and picked up the male champion title.
Sale success
The Errigal flock has been no stranger to the sale rings in both Ireland and the UK, achieving many strong prices and selling sheep into some of the top UK and Irish pedigree flocks.
The Errigal flock attended their first Irish premier sale in 2010 and enjoyed a very successful day in both the sale and show ring. Errigal Dundee won the novice ram lamb class and went on to sell for €2,900; Errigal Casey finished second to his pen-mate and sold for €1,300.
The year 2018 was another successful year at the Irish premier sale for the flock, with a super ram lamb, Errigal Hard Rock, selling for €4,200. This was the top price paid for a Suffolk male that year.
Seamus has also made many trips over the years to the Scottish premier sale, and has sold many top rams there.
Most notable was the ram lamb Errigal Equalizer in 2018 and he went on to be crowned the male champion and overall reserve champion at the 2019 Great Yorkshire show.
In 2023 Equalizer claimed first place in the strongly contested Suffolk aged ram class at the Royal Highland show. And the overall champion of the 2023 Royal Highland show was a grand-daughter of Equalizer.
Many Errigal rams down through the years have also been sold to Teagasc and other research bodies in Ireland through society sales and through the Sheep Ireland multi-breed ram sale held annually in Tullamore.
Late Late Show
apppearance
One of the highlights from Seamus’s career in pedigree Suffolks was his appearance on the Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy. This interview followed Seamus’s purchase of his new stock ram, Lakeview Heart of Gold, for 13,000gns at the NI premier sale in Ballymena.
It was a record price for a Suffolk in Northern Ireland and the sale gathered a huge amount of attention from the media, including interviews with BBC NI and Ireland am.
Irish Sire of the Year winners
Over the years the Errigal flock stock rams have excelled in the Irish Sire of the Year awards. The first success was in 2012 with the 2011 Irish National champion, Errigal Simply the Best.
The next ram to pick up the award, was Lakeview Heart of Gold in 2018. He was followed in 2022 by Limestone Gold Rush.
Gold Rush was the 2019 overall reserve champion at the Scottish premier sale in Stirling, where he was purchased by the Errigal flock for 23,000gns.
Flock dispersal sale
Seamus has now made the massive discission to disperse the Errigal flock. The dispersal sale will take place on Saturday, 30 November at Blessington Mart. The dispersal is in conjunction with the All Star female sale that Seamus helped to establish.
The entire female flock of 80 stock ewes, hoggets and ewe lambs will be on offer. Seamus commented that “it will be a very emotional day” for him.
Limestone Gold Rush, overall reserve champion Scottish premier 2019 and purchased for 23,000gns. / Alfie Shaw
Errigal Simply the Best the National Show champion 2011 and sire of the year 2012. / Alfie Shaw
Errigal Outstanding, reserve champion at the premier sale in 2018 and sold for 2,900gns. / Alfie Shaw
Errigal Enzo sold for €5,000. / Mullagh
The dam of Errigal Enzo one of the best females ever bred in the flock. / McGregor
Based in the outskirts of Letterkenny in Co Donegal Seamus Browne has farmed a flock of pedigree Suffolk sheep since 2007. Pedigree sheep farming is no easy task at the best of times but over the years it has become a way of life for Seamus, who has managed the flock and running the family business hand in hand.
Seamus grew up around sheep and was always drawn to the Suffolk breed. This saw him establish his pedigree Errigal flock in 2007 with the purchase of three in-lamb gimmers and three ewe lambs.
In 2008 he went on to buy his first pedigree stock ram. This ram lamb was the overall champion at the Donegal Premier sale. That year he also added three in-lamb gimmers and one ewe lamb from the Bailey flock dispersal.
These four strong females went on to have a large impact on the flock.
In 2012 Seamus purchased a full sister to the 10,000gns Cairnton the Cracker for 5,000gns as an in-lamb gimmer. This ewe went on to have a massive influence on the flock’s future genetics.
In addition, a large number of females bought into the flock over the years have been purchased from dispersal sales all across Ireland and the UK.
Show success
In the early years of the flock’s development Seamus was a familiar face at local and national shows. Having shown at the national show for 10 consecutive years, the Errigal flock has had many very successful national show days.
The first national show attended by the Errigal flock was in 2010 when the flock picked up the first four placings in a strong novice class.
The peak of the flock’s performance at national shows was 2011 when it secured the overall champion title with the ram lamb, Errigal Simply the Best. Seamus said “this ram lamb was just a stand out from day one.”
Simply the Best was retained in the Errigal flock for breeding and he went on to breed the untrimmed ewe lamb champion at the 2012 national championships when he also won his class and picked up the male champion title.
Sale success
The Errigal flock has been no stranger to the sale rings in both Ireland and the UK, achieving many strong prices and selling sheep into some of the top UK and Irish pedigree flocks.
The Errigal flock attended their first Irish premier sale in 2010 and enjoyed a very successful day in both the sale and show ring. Errigal Dundee won the novice ram lamb class and went on to sell for €2,900; Errigal Casey finished second to his pen-mate and sold for €1,300.
The year 2018 was another successful year at the Irish premier sale for the flock, with a super ram lamb, Errigal Hard Rock, selling for €4,200. This was the top price paid for a Suffolk male that year.
Seamus has also made many trips over the years to the Scottish premier sale, and has sold many top rams there.
Most notable was the ram lamb Errigal Equalizer in 2018 and he went on to be crowned the male champion and overall reserve champion at the 2019 Great Yorkshire show.
In 2023 Equalizer claimed first place in the strongly contested Suffolk aged ram class at the Royal Highland show. And the overall champion of the 2023 Royal Highland show was a grand-daughter of Equalizer.
Many Errigal rams down through the years have also been sold to Teagasc and other research bodies in Ireland through society sales and through the Sheep Ireland multi-breed ram sale held annually in Tullamore.
Late Late Show
apppearance
One of the highlights from Seamus’s career in pedigree Suffolks was his appearance on the Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy. This interview followed Seamus’s purchase of his new stock ram, Lakeview Heart of Gold, for 13,000gns at the NI premier sale in Ballymena.
It was a record price for a Suffolk in Northern Ireland and the sale gathered a huge amount of attention from the media, including interviews with BBC NI and Ireland am.
Irish Sire of the Year winners
Over the years the Errigal flock stock rams have excelled in the Irish Sire of the Year awards. The first success was in 2012 with the 2011 Irish National champion, Errigal Simply the Best.
The next ram to pick up the award, was Lakeview Heart of Gold in 2018. He was followed in 2022 by Limestone Gold Rush.
Gold Rush was the 2019 overall reserve champion at the Scottish premier sale in Stirling, where he was purchased by the Errigal flock for 23,000gns.
Flock dispersal sale
Seamus has now made the massive discission to disperse the Errigal flock. The dispersal sale will take place on Saturday, 30 November at Blessington Mart. The dispersal is in conjunction with the All Star female sale that Seamus helped to establish.
The entire female flock of 80 stock ewes, hoggets and ewe lambs will be on offer. Seamus commented that “it will be a very emotional day” for him.
Limestone Gold Rush, overall reserve champion Scottish premier 2019 and purchased for 23,000gns. / Alfie Shaw
Errigal Simply the Best the National Show champion 2011 and sire of the year 2012. / Alfie Shaw
Errigal Outstanding, reserve champion at the premier sale in 2018 and sold for 2,900gns. / Alfie Shaw
Errigal Enzo sold for €5,000. / Mullagh
The dam of Errigal Enzo one of the best females ever bred in the flock. / McGregor
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