It was with great sadness that on the morning of 1 January 2023, word began to filter through of the sudden passing of John Moore, of the Buckfield Limousin Herd in Co Mayo.

A family man first and foremost, he would always have his wife Nora and daughter Patricia at his side. He was a great GAA and Mayo man, although he did line out in the colours of his wife’s native Kerry when John played for and captained Dr Crokes to great success in London in the late 1980s.

John would be regularly seen sporting a Mayo jersey at summer shows any weekend Mayo were playing. John’s devotion to Mayo would see him come unstuck at a Limousin club meeting.

While travelling to the club meeting, John saw the lights on in McHale Park as he passed.

At the meeting, he was promoting that Mayo were back training, only for another club member to point out that the manager had the players walking greyhounds to teach them how to hold on to a lead.

Anyone in earshot still maintains it was the only time they ever saw John Moore speechless.

Known as Zulu to his many friends, John was actively involved in Limousin breeding for over 25 years with the establishment of the Buckfield Limousin Herd and, in 1997, the first animals to bear the Buckfield Prefix were born, and the rest as they say is history.

John had many successes with his Buckfield Herd and would regularly be in the prizes and top prices at society sales.

A great supporter of the local shows, there were very few he would miss. It now seems fitting that John’s last show in Glenamaddy saw him and Patricia taking overall Limousin champion with their bull calf, Buckfield Tyrone.

John was one of the cornerstones of the North West Limousin Club and he was never too far away when a shoulder had to be put to the wheel.

No matter the mood at a show, sale or any event, John had the ability to have everyone in his company in fits of laughter in an instant with his wit and humour

A great supporter and driving force of all club activities, be it herd competitions, where Buckfield Limousins were always in the prizes including winning many of the categories over the years, or the many club trips to the UK.

John was also one of the founding members of the North West Limousin heifer sale held every autumn in Elphin Mart.

Pride

John took immense pride in watching young people competing and succeeding at shows, sport or anything they took part in.

In 2019, the Buckfield Herd held a barn dance and YMA event on the farm in Kilmeena to select a team from the North West club to compete in the national YMA finals.

Under John’s guidance, a number of training days were held in the club culminating in the team winning the overall Irish Limousin Society YMA finals event held in Cappamore.

Anyone who knew John would testify that books could be written with stories, be it from the world of Limousins or GAA.

No matter the mood at a show, sale or any event, John had the ability to have everyone in his company in fits of laughter in an instant with his wit and humour.

John would always be the first to help people new to the show scene, a friend to everyone – it didn’t matter if the person was seven or 70. His loss will leave a void for some time to come.