Sheep shearer Sean Dunne continues to enjoy an electrifying year’s shearing after adding the Royal Welsh intermediate sheep shearing title to a number of top accolades won in 2026.

The Co Wicklow native from Laragh had an excellent shear in the final, holding off Gethin Ifan Williams by one point and a strong final line-up, which also included Tane Maguire, Ifan Thomas, Molly Gittins and Rhys Williams.

In March this year, Dunne narrowly missed out on the Golden Shears world junior sheep shearing title when he admirably finished in second place in the championships held in Masterton, New Zealand.

The feat was a sign of things to come and in June he was awarded the accolade of the top junior sheep shearer in New Zealand for the 2026 season. In doing so, Dunne became the first non-New Zealander to be awarded the prestigious title.

This coincided with the All Ireland Championships held in Mountbellew, Co Galway, where he also finished first in the intermediate shearing competition. And only a few weeks later, he went on to win the intermediate championship at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland.

Sean Dunne with his grandparents Paddy Dunne and Chrissie Kennedy after winning the Irish intermediate championship at Shearfest 2026.

At just 20 years of age, Dunne is among a number of up and coming Irish sheep shearers.

Mayo’s Joe Scahill became only the second Irish shearer to win a prestigious Golden Shears title when he won the world intermediate sheep shearing championships earlier this year.

Role models

Irish sheep shearing has been boosted over the last two decades with a number of shearers making waves on the international shearing circuit, including Ivan Scott from Donegal who has set a high benchmark for young shearers to follow.

Dunne paid tribute to Scott and Peter Heraty in his acceptance speech in Wales, stating that they were the men that got him going in shearing.

He also paid thanks to Colin Crowe and offered thanks to well-known New Zealand shearers Johnny and Raylene Kirkpatrick, whom he said helped him over the last two seasons shearing in New Zealand.

Clonmany Show

The next big competition on the radar for Irish shearers is the All Ireland Shearing and Woolhandling Championships taking place at Clonmany Show, Co Donegal, on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 July.

Entries are now open at www.clonmanyshow.com.