Belclare Sheep

Delight for Delaney as Finnan takes Championship.

Long standing Belclare breeder Liam Delaney had a day to remember at the

Premier Sale held last Tuesday August 4th in Kilkenny Mart when his ram lamb

Coolgarragh Finnan took top spot in a very competitive ram lamb class and then

went on to be awarded the 2020 Premier Sale Supreme Champion trophy.

Judge on the day Shay Kennedy had a difficult job when an outstanding line up of

ram lambs was presented to him for the pre-sale show, but after much deliberation

he found his winner in the shape of Liam Delaney’s early January born

Coolgarragh Finnan, a sharp son of Violet Hill Chappy, out of a homebred

daughter of Coolgarragh Beckham. This smart lamb later went on to sell for €660.

The sales top price came late in the day when Michael Gottstein’s final ram into

the ring caught the eye of a number of breeders. After a prolonged bidding war,

Coolkellure Fidal a twin born son of Knockcroghery Eldorado out of a Violet Hill

Achak ewe, was eventually knocked down to Roscommon breeder Declan Miley

who was pushed to go to €1600 by fellow Connaught breeder John McTigue to

secure this powerful ram. Miley secured another ram from the Coolkellure flock

when he picked up Lot 33 Coolkellure Faze another son of Knockcroghery

Eldorado for €920. This lamb came from one of the best bloodlines in the

Coolkellure flock, where his dam, a daughter of TF1201503, has already produced

a number of stock rams for pedigree flocks.

Gottstein also sold Coolkellure Flannery, Coolkellure Francis and Coolkellure

Forrester all sired by Cahergal Cassidy a son of 2016 Premier Sale Champion

Rathkenty Beethoven for €840, €800 and €760 respectively.

Reserve Champion on the day went to Oltore Eban a hogget ram presented by

Tim Keady. This March 2019 born son of Violet Hill Bacla had earlier in the day

taken top honours in the hogget ram class, and went on to sell for the top price of

the hogget ram section when fetching €840.

Keady switched rolls later in the sale when purchasing Lot 42 Silverbrook

Fitzgerald for €720 from Tullamore breeder Paul Smyth. This ram was followed

into the ring by Paul Smyths highest priced ram of the sale Silverbrook Fabio. A

single born son of Kilmeany Bobby, out of an Esker Anthony ewe, he was bought

by Johnstown breeder John Renehan for €1200.

The third prize winning ram lamb, Rathkenty Franco, sired by Rathkenty Caesar,

out of a Rathkenty Bundaberg dam, was the first ram lamb to enter the sales ring

carrying a rosette. He grabbed the attention of new Belclare breeder Fredrick

Hunter who went to €800 to secure this strong ram.

Richard and John Lalor of the Rathkenty flock also sold two more sons of

Rathkenty Caesar to become stock rams in pedigree flocks. First up was

Rathkenty Frankel who sold for €720 to Christy, Margaret and Brian Gallagher,

then came Rathkenty Fibonacci a triplet born ram out of a Rathkenty Black

Apalachi ewe, which sold for €740 to Donegal breeder Henry Kee. The Lalor

brothers also sold Rathkenty Fastidious and Rathkenty Foreman two sons of

Rathkenty Dionysus for €780 and €760 respectively.

Liam Delaney’s successful day continued when he took the red rosette in the

hogget ewe class with a daughter of Coolgarragh Cooper. This eye-catching ewe

went on to sell for €640 to Mullingar breeder Roy Butler.

Top price in the hogget ewe section and setting a new Premier Sale record for a

hogget ewe was Lot 113 a stylish daughter of 2016 Premier Sale Supreme

Champion Rathkenty Beethoven who was produced for sale by Sonny Jennings

Cahergal flock. She sold for €900 to Dwayne Shiels from Donegal.

Jennings sold another daughter of Rathkenty Beethoven for €400 to Sligo

breeders Christy, Margaret and Brian Gallagher.

With restrictions in place due to the current pandemic trade dipped below the 2019

Premier Sale levels, however clearance levels were good with most rams finding

new homes. The Belclare Sheep Society would like to thank all purchasers on the

day and wish them the very best of luck with their new purchases. We would also

like to thank the judge on the day, Mr. Shay Kennedy, also Kilkenny Mart for

hosting the sale and congratulate breeders on putting together such a strong

catalogue of sheep for the sale.