Calling all sheep shearers

By John Shirley

If you are interested in shearing sheep the Irish Sheep Shearing Association (ISSA) wants to hear from you.

New Chairman Andrew Corrigan from Wicklow and PRO/Secretary Declan Houlihane from Lorrha in Tipperary, along with the new ISSA Council have embarked on a campaign to raise the profile of sheep shearing in Ireland. They can be reached on 087 2226632 and 087 6185461. The ISSA has about 110 members but the estimate of shearers is between 500 and 600.

Sheep shearing can lie somewhere between a sport and hard work. "When I was doing my Leaving cert my father bought me a shearing machine and I was hooked,'' said Declan who is in dairying on the home farm.

Andrew Corrigan comes from a Wicklow family steeped in sheep farming and sheep shearing.

Plans of the ISSA include:

• More high profile competitions for shearers.

• More shearing courses for shearers to improve speed and technique.

• Encouragement for young shearers to get involved.

A new competition league is planned. In 2005 shearers will have four major competitions. This starts with a National Shearing Contest in Gurteen Ag College in Tipperary on 21 May 2005. This replaces the shearing contests that were held at the RDS Spring Show.

Two major competitions will be held at the National Sheep Shearing Championships at Pearse Stadium in Galway over the June Bank Holiday weekend.

The fourth competition will be at World Sheepdog Trials to be held in Tullamore on 10 July 2005. Shearing workshops will take place at Gurteen on 22 May 2005. The ISSA instructors will be present and offer their services free of charge. Instructions on Health and Safety will also be given. The ISSA is also looking at group insurance packages for shearers.

Ticket to travel

"Having sheep shearing on your CV is a ticket for travel, especially to New Zealand and Australia,'' said Andrew Corrigan.

Shearers have become very scarce in both countries.

The Irish Sheep Shearers Association can help organise work for Irish shearers who wish to travel to New Zealand and Australia.