On Sunday 13 January, a ewe near Erris, Ballina, Co Mayo, gave birth to five live and healthy lambs.

Since then, plenty of people have visited Flannery's farm to witness the spectacle for themselves.

"There's a lot of people coming to see it. It's a combination of shock and excitement to have five healthy and alive lambs," Michael Flannery told the Irish Farmers Journal.

He bought the Texel-cross ewe at the last sale in Ballina Mart before Christmas, along with one other that hasn't lambed yet.

"They both scanned with four. This one lambed last Sunday. The first lamb arrived at 2.30pm and I brought her in to the shed," he said.

"She had the last one four hours later."

The ewe had three female and two male Charollais-cross lambs. She didn't need any assistance, Michael said.

Earlier this year, John Mannion from Abbeyknocmoy in Co Galway welcomed five lambs born to a Suffolk ewe.

The four males and one female had a combined weight of 18.91kg. They were also from a Charollais ram.

John Mannion, Abbeyknockmoy, Athenry, Co Galway. \ David Ruffles

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