After a tense bidding frenzy, the hammer fell at €12,600, capping off a remarkable day for breeder Seamus Kelly, Cloghan, Co Donegal, and the Sliabh Liag Longwool Perth Sheep Breeders Association as it set a new record price for a Longwool Perth sheep.

After making the long trip from Kerry to Ballybofey and Stranorlar Mart, judge Patrick O’Sullivan had a hard task ahead of him, with 193 rams catalogued in the sale.

The first class of the show was ram lambs. The star of the day, lot 140, claimed the red rosette before going on to be tapped forward as supreme champion of the show.

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Sired by a shearling ram lamb purchased for €3,450 at the association’s sale in 2025, the new record-priced ram lamb attracted keen interest but was eventually knocked down to Dermot McGinley, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Lot 94, bred by Paul O’Donnell, Kilcar, Co Donegal, was awarded second place in the ram lamb class and later sold for €1,600.

Lot 74 from James Cunningham, Letterkenny, came third, selling for €2,700, while lot 70 from Noel McGinley, Carrick, Donegal, took fourth place and later sold for €500. The lineup was completed by lot 115 from local breeder David Tourish, Ballybofey, which sold for €1,400.

Ram lamb pairs

Seamus Kelly was to the fore again in the second class, ram lamb pairs, with lots 141 and 142 making a formidable duo.

The latter of the two went on to be singly awarded reserve show champion and then sold for the second highest price of the day, €5,000. His pair mate also realised a creditable €2,500.

Overall reserve champion, also from the Kellys, sold for €5,000. \ Swarber Photography

Second place went to Aimee Hegarty, Carrick, Co Donegal, with her pair, lots 161 and 163. They later sold for €820 and €1,100, respectively.

The third-placed pair of rams, lots 182 and 183, from Peter McGonigle, Clonmany, Co Donegal, sold for €580 and €430, while the pair from Hannah Tourish, Ballybofey, (lots 114 and 118) were placed fourth and went on to sell for €900 and €820.

Philip Thomas completed the line up in the pairs class, taking fifth place with lots 99 and 102. They later sold for €2,200 and €500 respectively.

Other notable ram lamb prices were another pair from Seamus Kelly, which reached €2,600 (lot 139) and €2,500 (lot 143). Ably helped by his brother Declan and nephew Cormac, the family achieved a pen average of €4,300 for six ram lambs sold.

David Tourish also enjoyed a good trade, selling his ram lamb, lot 113, for €1,800, while Edward Harkin’s lot 87 sold for €1,700.

Shearling class

First place in the shearling ram class was claimed by Joe Grant from Clonmany with lot 40. He went on to sell for €1,200.

The Thomas family took the next two rosettes with lot 27 and lot 28 selling for €3,400 and €1,050.

The class was completed by lot 52 from Lee Tourish, Ballybofey, with his shearling, who later made €400 and finally, lot 26 from John Murray, Gortahawk, Co Donegal, which later sold for €720.

Also achieving notable prices were entries from Fidelma Thomas, who realised €1,950 for lot 34 and €1,850 for lot 35.

It was a day to remember for the association in just its fifth annual sale with ram lambs averaging €710/head. Shearling rams averaged €692/head. The sale saw an overall clearance rate of 75%.