The 2026 Belclare Sheep Society premier sale held recently in GVM Tullamore Mart in Co Offaly set a record-breaking price of €4,000 for a Belclare ram.
The accolade was achieved by Sonny Jenning’s Cahergal Flock based in Tuam, Co Galway, for Cahergal Mishka, a January 2026-born twin lamb boasting genetic indexes in the top 1% of the breed for both the terminal (€17.59) and replacement (€5.27) indexes.
The lamb ram (lot 46), which was sired by Cillmheain Lindell, attracted keen interest and a flurry of bidding before the hammer eventually dropped to John Renehan of the Violethill flock in Co Kilkenny.
The sale average was €832 for lamb rams and hogget rams, with 70% of the 69 rams offered finding new homes. The society reports that rams were purchased by buyers from 20 counties.
Top honours
In the pre-sale show, Tubber Maximus, a ram lamb bred in the Tubber flock of Liam and Eoin Dunne, Co Offaly, was tapped forward by judge Melvin Mathews with the top honour of winning the JP Hanrahan Cup.
The overall show champion, exhibiting length and a tight-woolled skin, was sired by the top-priced ram at the 2025 premier sale Coolgarragh Laois (€2,700) and went on to sell for €1,200 to Frank Campion of the Luskenagh flock in Co Kilkenny.
Second prize in the lamb ram class and reserve champion title went to Ciarán Coughlan of the Glen View flock, Ferbane, Co Offaly, for Glen View Messi. The ram, described as exhibiting exceptional power and style, sold for €700.
Third prize was awarded to Galway native Barry Cunningham of the Togherbeg flock with his powerhouse of a ram Togherbeg Magnificent.
Magnificent also boasted the accolade of 2026 all-Ireland supreme champion and was bid to €850 in the ring, but not sold.
Fourth prize went to Tullamore local Paul Smyth of the Silverbrook flock for Silverbrook Maguire, selling for €500, while the aforementioned Cahergal Mishka was placed fifth.
The lamb ram class was completed by Dranagh Magic from John Kennedy’s Dranagh flock and sold for €750.
Hogget classes
The hogget ram class was dominated by the Oltore flock of Tim Keady in Co Galway.
Oltore Lion claimed the red rosette and sold for €700 to the Ballydavis flock of David Cooke. He edged out a quality hogget ram, Dranagh Lucian, from the Dranagh flock of John Kennedy. The ram was bid to €450 in the ring, but not sold.
Oltore Leo placed in third place and was sold for €950, while his flock mate Oltore Larry, which was placed in fourth position, set the top hogget price of €1,250.
Tim also crossed the four-figure mark with lot 2 Oltore Looker, selling for €1,100. The winning line-up was completed by Pullagh Leonardo in fifth position. The certified organic ram was unsold at €350.
Top prices
The second-highest price of €2,500 was achieved by Cork breeder Michael Hanley for lot 44 Kielnascarta Manuel. This correct and stylish lamb sold to Paul Smyth of the Silverbrook flock.
Manuel was highly ranked on the €uro-Star indexes, placing in the top 1% for replacement (€17.81) and the top 2% for days to slaughter (-22.1 days).
Michael continued his excellent form with his next ram into the ring Kielnascarta Mack, which sold for €1,100.
Other rams topping the €1,000 mark included Lankill Mauricio, a triplet-born lamb bred by Charles Hughes, which sold for €1,400 to Arthur O’Riordan of the Rathmore flock.
Sired by Kilmeany Govannon, which previously bred the 2024 premier sale champion Lankill Koi, Lankill Mauricio continues to demonstrate the strength of this breeding line.
Mauricio was ranked in the top 1% on the €uro-Star indexes for replacement, terminal, days to slaughter and number of lambs born.
Liam and Eoin Dunne had a successful day in the show and sale rings. Lot 26 Tubber Mojo sold for €1,300 to the Millbank flock of Leitrim native Neil O’Donnell.
Future sales