Drawing a large crowd from across Ireland to Milford mart was the highly anticipated Tir Conaill Blackface Sheepbreeders Association 13th annual female sale. The sale was made up of in-lamb ewes and ewe lambs of both the Perth and Lanark types.
The quality of lots on offer was high and this led to a high level of demand right the way through the sale. Auctioneer Alistair Erskine had bids flying in from ringside and online leading to an overall clearance rate of 76% being achieved.
Perth section
Judge Matthew Hamilton and breeder Brian Curran pictured with the overall reserve champion Lanark ewe lamb that sold for €1,300. / Glenalla Photography
Tasked with the tough job of judging an extremely strong Perth section was Scotsman Matthew Hamilton of the well known Woolfords flock.
Hamilton went on to pick out a classy in-lamb shearling ewe from the pen of Vincent Brennan as his overall Perth champion. She was sired by a 900gns Brennan and she was scanned in-lamb carrying twins to a 400gns Sean Og McCusker ram.
This champion shearling also had a successful summer showing, winning 1st in a competitive hogget ewe class at Clonmany show. Placing the winning bid of €1,800 for this prizewinning shearling ewe was Chris McCusker.
Brennan went on to sell a second shearling ewe that was also scanned in-lamb to the 400gns McCusker for €1,300. This gave him a strong pen average of €1,550.
Topping the section selling their powerful reserve champion for €3,000 was the Grant family of the well known Cloughfin flock.
This standout one crop ewe was sired by the much admired 18,000gns Woolfords and her dam went back to the ever-consistent breeding 4,200gns Harkin. She was scanned in-lamb carrying twins to the 4,000gns Woolfords.
The successful purchaser of this top priced lot was Gerard Breslin.
The Grants went on to sell a second one crop ewe that was also sired by the 18,000gns Woolfords. This time she was scanned in-lamb to their exciting new stock ram the 28,000gns Harkin. Purchasing this exciting lot for €2,200 was young breeder Dermot Gildea.
The Grants took the second-place spot in the in-lamb shearling section with a daughter if the 4,000gns Woolford. She was scanned in-lamb carrying a single to the 1,800gns Gallagher and sold for €2,400 to Paul McEvoy.
The Clonmany men went on to achieve the top pen average of the day after selling their pen of five in-lamb females for an average of €2,180.
Also having a successful day in the sales ring was Charlie Gallagher. Charlie sold his third prizewinning shearling ewe for €2,200. This flashy shearling ewe was sired by a 320 Grant and she was scanned carrying a single to the 28,000 Harkin.
John McDermott was the successful purchaser of this top-quality lot. Gallagher achieved a pen average of €1,525 for his four in-lamb lots.
Perth ewe lambs
Billy and Joseph Grant pictured with their one crop Perth ewe that sold for €2,200 and purchaser Dermot Gildea. / Glenalla Photography
The Perth ewe lamb section was jointly topped at €1,000. The first was the first prizewinning ewe lamb from the pen of Gerard Breslin. This eye-catching ewe lamb was sired by the 2,600gns Adams and was purchased by Bobby Simms.
The second ewe lamb to sell for €1,000 was from young breeder Dermot Gildea. This powerful ewe lamb was sired by the 22,000gns McEvoy and was purchased by longstanding breeder Billy Grant.
Lanark section
Overall champion Lanark from the Glenbeg flock that sold for €1,400. / Glenalla Photography.
Dominating a strong Lanark section was the well-known Glenbeg flock. Judge Matthew Dunlop from the Scottish based Wellwood flock picked out a super fourth crop ewe from the flock as his overall champion.
The prizewinning ewe was sired by the 52,000gns Crossflatt and was scanned in-lamb carrying twins to the 28,000gns Glenbeg. She later went onto to the section selling for €1,400 to Kieran McGinley.
The Branning family went on to achieve an overall pen average of €1,030 for their pen of six in-lamb females.
Lanark ewe lambs
First prizewinning Perth ewe lamb from Gerard Breslin that went on to sell for €1,000. / Glenalla Photography
Topping the Lanark ewe lamb section selling for €1,300 was the pre-sale show reserve champion from Brain Currans Glackmore flock. This flashy ewe lamb was sired by the 9,000gns Fegan and her dam went back to the 4,500gns Loughash. This top priced ewe lamb had had a successful 2024 show season winning first in a strong ewe lamb class at Inishowen Agricultural Show and 5th at Tullamore show. The winning bid for this sparky ewe lamb was placed by Edward Canny.
Averages
26 Perth in-lamb ewes - €1,174
7 Perth ewe lambs - €512
10 Lanark in-lamb ewes - €748
2 Lanark ewe lambs - €850
Drawing a large crowd from across Ireland to Milford mart was the highly anticipated Tir Conaill Blackface Sheepbreeders Association 13th annual female sale. The sale was made up of in-lamb ewes and ewe lambs of both the Perth and Lanark types.
The quality of lots on offer was high and this led to a high level of demand right the way through the sale. Auctioneer Alistair Erskine had bids flying in from ringside and online leading to an overall clearance rate of 76% being achieved.
Perth section
Judge Matthew Hamilton and breeder Brian Curran pictured with the overall reserve champion Lanark ewe lamb that sold for €1,300. / Glenalla Photography
Tasked with the tough job of judging an extremely strong Perth section was Scotsman Matthew Hamilton of the well known Woolfords flock.
Hamilton went on to pick out a classy in-lamb shearling ewe from the pen of Vincent Brennan as his overall Perth champion. She was sired by a 900gns Brennan and she was scanned in-lamb carrying twins to a 400gns Sean Og McCusker ram.
This champion shearling also had a successful summer showing, winning 1st in a competitive hogget ewe class at Clonmany show. Placing the winning bid of €1,800 for this prizewinning shearling ewe was Chris McCusker.
Brennan went on to sell a second shearling ewe that was also scanned in-lamb to the 400gns McCusker for €1,300. This gave him a strong pen average of €1,550.
Topping the section selling their powerful reserve champion for €3,000 was the Grant family of the well known Cloughfin flock.
This standout one crop ewe was sired by the much admired 18,000gns Woolfords and her dam went back to the ever-consistent breeding 4,200gns Harkin. She was scanned in-lamb carrying twins to the 4,000gns Woolfords.
The successful purchaser of this top priced lot was Gerard Breslin.
The Grants went on to sell a second one crop ewe that was also sired by the 18,000gns Woolfords. This time she was scanned in-lamb to their exciting new stock ram the 28,000gns Harkin. Purchasing this exciting lot for €2,200 was young breeder Dermot Gildea.
The Grants took the second-place spot in the in-lamb shearling section with a daughter if the 4,000gns Woolford. She was scanned in-lamb carrying a single to the 1,800gns Gallagher and sold for €2,400 to Paul McEvoy.
The Clonmany men went on to achieve the top pen average of the day after selling their pen of five in-lamb females for an average of €2,180.
Also having a successful day in the sales ring was Charlie Gallagher. Charlie sold his third prizewinning shearling ewe for €2,200. This flashy shearling ewe was sired by a 320 Grant and she was scanned carrying a single to the 28,000 Harkin.
John McDermott was the successful purchaser of this top-quality lot. Gallagher achieved a pen average of €1,525 for his four in-lamb lots.
Perth ewe lambs
Billy and Joseph Grant pictured with their one crop Perth ewe that sold for €2,200 and purchaser Dermot Gildea. / Glenalla Photography
The Perth ewe lamb section was jointly topped at €1,000. The first was the first prizewinning ewe lamb from the pen of Gerard Breslin. This eye-catching ewe lamb was sired by the 2,600gns Adams and was purchased by Bobby Simms.
The second ewe lamb to sell for €1,000 was from young breeder Dermot Gildea. This powerful ewe lamb was sired by the 22,000gns McEvoy and was purchased by longstanding breeder Billy Grant.
Lanark section
Overall champion Lanark from the Glenbeg flock that sold for €1,400. / Glenalla Photography.
Dominating a strong Lanark section was the well-known Glenbeg flock. Judge Matthew Dunlop from the Scottish based Wellwood flock picked out a super fourth crop ewe from the flock as his overall champion.
The prizewinning ewe was sired by the 52,000gns Crossflatt and was scanned in-lamb carrying twins to the 28,000gns Glenbeg. She later went onto to the section selling for €1,400 to Kieran McGinley.
The Branning family went on to achieve an overall pen average of €1,030 for their pen of six in-lamb females.
Lanark ewe lambs
First prizewinning Perth ewe lamb from Gerard Breslin that went on to sell for €1,000. / Glenalla Photography
Topping the Lanark ewe lamb section selling for €1,300 was the pre-sale show reserve champion from Brain Currans Glackmore flock. This flashy ewe lamb was sired by the 9,000gns Fegan and her dam went back to the 4,500gns Loughash. This top priced ewe lamb had had a successful 2024 show season winning first in a strong ewe lamb class at Inishowen Agricultural Show and 5th at Tullamore show. The winning bid for this sparky ewe lamb was placed by Edward Canny.
Averages
26 Perth in-lamb ewes - €1,174
7 Perth ewe lambs - €512
10 Lanark in-lamb ewes - €748
2 Lanark ewe lambs - €850
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