As Level 5 restrictions eased on Tuesday, buyers and sellers at Enniscorthy Mart were more than happy to be back around the ring.
Seeing the animal in the flesh and the social aspect of the mart atmosphere is what people claimed to have missed the most when the mart system went online for a period of six weeks during the Level 5 lockdown.
Tommy Harrington, Enniscorthy Mart Manager
Enniscorthy Mart manager Tommy Harrington.
“Sure it's brilliant to see the faces back again, although with the face coverings it can be hard to recognise people sometimes.
"Today is the first sale back with the ringside bidders and I am just after looking into the ring there now a few minutes ago and it's lovely to have all our old customers back again, we are happy enough here this morning.
"We are still operating the online system. We have both operating - we have the online bidding, which is a great help, and the ringside bidding.
"It makes it a little bit harder on the auctioneer alright, but he is used to it from the previous lockdown. We would have a big online bidding customers operating every Tuesday.
“The farmer is happy to be at the mart any day. They are happy to have the chat and get a cup of tea and hopefully going forward that is the way it’s going to be.
"But there is a lot of farmers that have sold their cattle here online during the lockdown and there is also some farmers who were a bit cagey about the whole situation and decided to wait until the marts opened to sell, so I'd say they are fairly happy now.”
Ian Ryanhart, Ferns
Ian Ryanhart
“The social aspect of the mart is fairly important. If you are selling cattle, the online system is ok, but if you are buying cattle you would rather see them in the flesh.
"I am selling here today and I am happy to be back around the ring. It makes a big difference to the buyers to be able to see the stock before they buy it.
"What I missed most about the mart being closed is the contact with the outside world - it’s probably the only contact you would have for most of the week."
Paul O'Gorman and Sarah Bolger
Paul O’Gorman and Sarah Bolger at Enniscorthy Mart, Co Wexford, on Tuesday.
“You can bid online and you can see it online, but it’s nice to be able to see the actual livestock you are buying or selling in person, or up close and personal.
"It can be done online, but it’s just nice to see them as they stand. It’s nice to get the atmosphere of the mart.
"We are selling here today. When a farmer is buying online, you are looking at a video and you can’t be 100% sure you are buying what you think you are buying.
"I know you have the option of pulling out of the bid online, but it’s just nice to be able to see the cattle up close and personal, because you are going to be bringing them home to your own farm and you own livestock and you want to match them in with what you have and what you need for your herd.
"It’s nice to be able to see them in person. When you are in the mart you get to see the size, colour and shape of the animal in more depth.
"We bought calves online from Enniscorthy and Carnew during the lockdown and it did work well, but the social aspect is important for farmers. Mental health is a big thing and farmers are very much isolated away from livestock marts and general gatherings.
"The mart is a social occasion and I do think it will come back again. Farmers are out in the hills and it’s nice to get in for the day to have a chat and a mug of tea, just to see a friendly face."
Phillip Hore, Kilmore Quay
Phillip Hore
"It’s great that the mart is back. It is vital for a lot of people coming towards Christmas to sell their stock.
"You like to see the animal in person, in the flesh itself. I think a lot of buyers are the very same.
"Online did have its advantage and I assume it did work very well during lockdown.
"I think it’s important for farmers to have the social aspect of the mart in their lives.
"I am not up here too often myself, but I say some older farmers did miss their weekly date at the mart.”
Michael Nolan, Enniscorthy
Michael Nolan
"It’s brilliant to be back. I am a bit of an old-timer, I just don’t like the online, I am not able to operate it well enough.
"I think the sellers prefer it. I would be more into buying, but I still prefer to see stock back in the rings, it’s the only way to sell cattle.
"It’s very good for farmers to get out, but they can’t really socialise much at all when you have to keep 2m apart, but that’s understandable.
"It’s better for people who are buying to see the stock in the flesh and most people would be sitting at home on their couches bidding, but it wouldn’t be for me.
"Seeing an animal in the flesh, you have a better chance of forming your own opinion on how they are going to kill out if you are going to kill them in the factory. It’s the only way to operate I think.
"I was here when this mart opened and I bought the first bullock in it on the opening day in 1968. I remember it well - it was a white-head bullock and I think the price was £120 that time and he was roughly 600kg, so there is some changes in all them years."
Jim Welsh, Fethard-On-Sea
Jim Welsh
"It’s good to be back. It’s better for everyone that farmers are back at the ring.
"It’s livening the trade up. I say it’s after improving a good bit. I didn’t do any online buying. I haven’t bought anything this six weeks. I was holding out for the trade to come back around the ring.
"It’s better than it is online. You are better off looking at the beast you are going to buy set in front of you, rather than buying online.
"I am delighted to get out again. The mart social life is very important. That’s the way farmers have lived always and that is the way they want to live. I think it’s better as well that farmers are spread out at the ring.”
Gus Hayden, Bunclody
Gus Hayden
"I looked forward to coming here today. It’s great to be back again.
"We bought online during the lockdown without coming in to look at them. We were happy enough - it is a good system and I think it is the way of the future.
"If I was busy, which we do be with some tillage, I would buy my cattle sitting at home and when I am not busy I come into the mart for a bit of a spree more so than to buy cattle.
"I am buying here today - we never sell in the mart because we kill everything.
"The mart is a place to meet and farming is a lonely life. They are working on their own most of the time and the mart is a bit of a get together.
"Everyone here today is glad to be back around the ring and they are all behaving well."
Read more
Easing of COVID-19 restrictions: what farmers need to know
Beef trade remains strong as numbers dry up
As Level 5 restrictions eased on Tuesday, buyers and sellers at Enniscorthy Mart were more than happy to be back around the ring.
Seeing the animal in the flesh and the social aspect of the mart atmosphere is what people claimed to have missed the most when the mart system went online for a period of six weeks during the Level 5 lockdown.
Tommy Harrington, Enniscorthy Mart Manager
Enniscorthy Mart manager Tommy Harrington.
“Sure it's brilliant to see the faces back again, although with the face coverings it can be hard to recognise people sometimes.
"Today is the first sale back with the ringside bidders and I am just after looking into the ring there now a few minutes ago and it's lovely to have all our old customers back again, we are happy enough here this morning.
"We are still operating the online system. We have both operating - we have the online bidding, which is a great help, and the ringside bidding.
"It makes it a little bit harder on the auctioneer alright, but he is used to it from the previous lockdown. We would have a big online bidding customers operating every Tuesday.
“The farmer is happy to be at the mart any day. They are happy to have the chat and get a cup of tea and hopefully going forward that is the way it’s going to be.
"But there is a lot of farmers that have sold their cattle here online during the lockdown and there is also some farmers who were a bit cagey about the whole situation and decided to wait until the marts opened to sell, so I'd say they are fairly happy now.”
Ian Ryanhart, Ferns
Ian Ryanhart
“The social aspect of the mart is fairly important. If you are selling cattle, the online system is ok, but if you are buying cattle you would rather see them in the flesh.
"I am selling here today and I am happy to be back around the ring. It makes a big difference to the buyers to be able to see the stock before they buy it.
"What I missed most about the mart being closed is the contact with the outside world - it’s probably the only contact you would have for most of the week."
Paul O'Gorman and Sarah Bolger
Paul O’Gorman and Sarah Bolger at Enniscorthy Mart, Co Wexford, on Tuesday.
“You can bid online and you can see it online, but it’s nice to be able to see the actual livestock you are buying or selling in person, or up close and personal.
"It can be done online, but it’s just nice to see them as they stand. It’s nice to get the atmosphere of the mart.
"We are selling here today. When a farmer is buying online, you are looking at a video and you can’t be 100% sure you are buying what you think you are buying.
"I know you have the option of pulling out of the bid online, but it’s just nice to be able to see the cattle up close and personal, because you are going to be bringing them home to your own farm and you own livestock and you want to match them in with what you have and what you need for your herd.
"It’s nice to be able to see them in person. When you are in the mart you get to see the size, colour and shape of the animal in more depth.
"We bought calves online from Enniscorthy and Carnew during the lockdown and it did work well, but the social aspect is important for farmers. Mental health is a big thing and farmers are very much isolated away from livestock marts and general gatherings.
"The mart is a social occasion and I do think it will come back again. Farmers are out in the hills and it’s nice to get in for the day to have a chat and a mug of tea, just to see a friendly face."
Phillip Hore, Kilmore Quay
Phillip Hore
"It’s great that the mart is back. It is vital for a lot of people coming towards Christmas to sell their stock.
"You like to see the animal in person, in the flesh itself. I think a lot of buyers are the very same.
"Online did have its advantage and I assume it did work very well during lockdown.
"I think it’s important for farmers to have the social aspect of the mart in their lives.
"I am not up here too often myself, but I say some older farmers did miss their weekly date at the mart.”
Michael Nolan, Enniscorthy
Michael Nolan
"It’s brilliant to be back. I am a bit of an old-timer, I just don’t like the online, I am not able to operate it well enough.
"I think the sellers prefer it. I would be more into buying, but I still prefer to see stock back in the rings, it’s the only way to sell cattle.
"It’s very good for farmers to get out, but they can’t really socialise much at all when you have to keep 2m apart, but that’s understandable.
"It’s better for people who are buying to see the stock in the flesh and most people would be sitting at home on their couches bidding, but it wouldn’t be for me.
"Seeing an animal in the flesh, you have a better chance of forming your own opinion on how they are going to kill out if you are going to kill them in the factory. It’s the only way to operate I think.
"I was here when this mart opened and I bought the first bullock in it on the opening day in 1968. I remember it well - it was a white-head bullock and I think the price was £120 that time and he was roughly 600kg, so there is some changes in all them years."
Jim Welsh, Fethard-On-Sea
Jim Welsh
"It’s good to be back. It’s better for everyone that farmers are back at the ring.
"It’s livening the trade up. I say it’s after improving a good bit. I didn’t do any online buying. I haven’t bought anything this six weeks. I was holding out for the trade to come back around the ring.
"It’s better than it is online. You are better off looking at the beast you are going to buy set in front of you, rather than buying online.
"I am delighted to get out again. The mart social life is very important. That’s the way farmers have lived always and that is the way they want to live. I think it’s better as well that farmers are spread out at the ring.”
Gus Hayden, Bunclody
Gus Hayden
"I looked forward to coming here today. It’s great to be back again.
"We bought online during the lockdown without coming in to look at them. We were happy enough - it is a good system and I think it is the way of the future.
"If I was busy, which we do be with some tillage, I would buy my cattle sitting at home and when I am not busy I come into the mart for a bit of a spree more so than to buy cattle.
"I am buying here today - we never sell in the mart because we kill everything.
"The mart is a place to meet and farming is a lonely life. They are working on their own most of the time and the mart is a bit of a get together.
"Everyone here today is glad to be back around the ring and they are all behaving well."
Read more
Easing of COVID-19 restrictions: what farmers need to know
Beef trade remains strong as numbers dry up
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