It was a day Tom Mulligan and family won't forget on Saturday 13 September at Strokestown Show in Co Roscommon, as they won the coveted Irish Angus Cattle Society all-Ireland championship for the first time.
Taking the overall crown for the Dromod-based herd was Clooncarne Winnie, a rising two-year-old heifer.
The HW Farghal daughter, which is out of a Clooncarne Frank-bred dam, was a favorite of Portuguese judge Luis Martins, who awarded Winnie the senior female champion before tapping her out as supreme all-Ireland champion for 2025.
This powerful heifer has been tearing up the show scene all year, winning red tickets and championships on a number of occasions for the Mulligan family.
Overall, the show attracted some outstanding Angus cattle, with nearly 150 entries from all across Ireland.
Junior female champion
The female section was particularly competitive, with some real nail biting classes. It was another young female that claimed the reserve overall Irish Angus championship.
Cloonhill Amber exhibited by Liam Walsh and family from Cleggan in Co Galway fought off some terrific opposition to win the all-Ireland junior female title, before following Winnie to the podium to take the reserve all-Ireland championship.
Cloonhill Amber, the 2025 Irish Angus all-Ireland junior female champion and reserve overall champion, shown by Luke and Laura Walsh, with Norman Little and Gerry Kilgallon from the IACS. \ Tricia Kennedy
A daughter of Drumcrow Tribesman, this December 2024-born heifer is out of a homebred dam by Cloonderry Rex.
She has also enjoyed an exciting summer at the shows, most recently winning overall Angus champion at Cappamore.
Male champions
The overall senior male champion went the way of John Barlow's stock bull Gurtavoher Venice.
Born in September 2022, Venice is a son of Clooncarne Pellet, while his mother Gurtavoher Naples is a daughter of Castlelough Midnight Brandy.
The Tipperary-bred bull is no stranger to success, having won reserve overall champion at the Irish Aberdeen Angus all-Ireland finals in Dualla in 2024.
Gurtavoher Venice, senior male champion, shown by Cillian and Darragh Barlow with IACS president Gerry Kilgallon. \ Tricia Kennedy
Quignalegan Archie went away with the overall junior male championship for breeders Conor and Eunan Boyce from Co Mayo.
A son of Laheens U Boss Hogg and a HW Farghal-bred dam, this September 2024-born bull came through a large class of young autumn-born bulls.
Quignalegan Archie, junior male champion, shown by Conor and Eunan Boyce with Gerry Kilgallon, IACS, and Nigel Brady of AW Ennis, sponsors. \ Tricia Kennedy
Reserve awards
Shane McGreal and family from Co Mayo have had a fantastic summer at the shows with their powerful senior cow and calf outfit Millbawn Twinkle, most recently winning interbreed champion at Ballinrobe Show.
On Saturday, the five-year-old Rawburn Jagger Eric daughter claimed the reserve senior female championship with her Bunlahy John G-bred calf at foot.
The reserve junior female award was attained by Millbawn Autumn Star, brought out by Conor Craig from Co Longford. A first-prizewinner in her class, this November 2024-born heifer is a daughter of Progessive Genetics' elite sire Intelagri Matteo ET.
Conor and Eunan Boyce added to their collection when they received the reserve senior male championship for Quignalegan Albert, an August 2024-born son of Dovea Genetics' AI sire Keirsbeath Karma.
Wrapping up the championships was Brendan McCawley from Co Leitrim with his red bull Newbridge Red Asian. This November 2024-born son of HW Lamborghini was Luis Martins' pick for the reserve junior male accolade.
YDP classes
It was extremely positive to see a large display of young stockpersons across the three youth development classes.
Winning the junior section was young Liam Farrell from Co Leitrim, who headed up a class of 18 young participants.
William Woods from Co Cavan stood top of the line in the intermediate section, while Fiona Mulligan from Dromod, Co Leitrim, took pole position in the senior category.
Commercial classes
Jonathan and Luke Maye from Co Roscommon came out with the red ribbons in the first of the Angus-cross classes - the best traditional Angus-cross heifer suitable for breeding or export - with Emma Higgins from Co Mayo taking first place in the other all-Ireland Angus-cross heifer class.
The Portuguese judge rounded off a long day at the office by awarding the best pair of animals to David Faughnan from Co Leitrim, with Shane McGreal from Co Mayo going back to Claremorris with the best group of three.
Read all about Saturday's Irish Angus all-Ireland finals at Strokestown in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
It was a day Tom Mulligan and family won't forget on Saturday 13 September at Strokestown Show in Co Roscommon, as they won the coveted Irish Angus Cattle Society all-Ireland championship for the first time.
Taking the overall crown for the Dromod-based herd was Clooncarne Winnie, a rising two-year-old heifer.
The HW Farghal daughter, which is out of a Clooncarne Frank-bred dam, was a favorite of Portuguese judge Luis Martins, who awarded Winnie the senior female champion before tapping her out as supreme all-Ireland champion for 2025.
This powerful heifer has been tearing up the show scene all year, winning red tickets and championships on a number of occasions for the Mulligan family.
Overall, the show attracted some outstanding Angus cattle, with nearly 150 entries from all across Ireland.
Junior female champion
The female section was particularly competitive, with some real nail biting classes. It was another young female that claimed the reserve overall Irish Angus championship.
Cloonhill Amber exhibited by Liam Walsh and family from Cleggan in Co Galway fought off some terrific opposition to win the all-Ireland junior female title, before following Winnie to the podium to take the reserve all-Ireland championship.
Cloonhill Amber, the 2025 Irish Angus all-Ireland junior female champion and reserve overall champion, shown by Luke and Laura Walsh, with Norman Little and Gerry Kilgallon from the IACS. \ Tricia Kennedy
A daughter of Drumcrow Tribesman, this December 2024-born heifer is out of a homebred dam by Cloonderry Rex.
She has also enjoyed an exciting summer at the shows, most recently winning overall Angus champion at Cappamore.
Male champions
The overall senior male champion went the way of John Barlow's stock bull Gurtavoher Venice.
Born in September 2022, Venice is a son of Clooncarne Pellet, while his mother Gurtavoher Naples is a daughter of Castlelough Midnight Brandy.
The Tipperary-bred bull is no stranger to success, having won reserve overall champion at the Irish Aberdeen Angus all-Ireland finals in Dualla in 2024.
Gurtavoher Venice, senior male champion, shown by Cillian and Darragh Barlow with IACS president Gerry Kilgallon. \ Tricia Kennedy
Quignalegan Archie went away with the overall junior male championship for breeders Conor and Eunan Boyce from Co Mayo.
A son of Laheens U Boss Hogg and a HW Farghal-bred dam, this September 2024-born bull came through a large class of young autumn-born bulls.
Quignalegan Archie, junior male champion, shown by Conor and Eunan Boyce with Gerry Kilgallon, IACS, and Nigel Brady of AW Ennis, sponsors. \ Tricia Kennedy
Reserve awards
Shane McGreal and family from Co Mayo have had a fantastic summer at the shows with their powerful senior cow and calf outfit Millbawn Twinkle, most recently winning interbreed champion at Ballinrobe Show.
On Saturday, the five-year-old Rawburn Jagger Eric daughter claimed the reserve senior female championship with her Bunlahy John G-bred calf at foot.
The reserve junior female award was attained by Millbawn Autumn Star, brought out by Conor Craig from Co Longford. A first-prizewinner in her class, this November 2024-born heifer is a daughter of Progessive Genetics' elite sire Intelagri Matteo ET.
Conor and Eunan Boyce added to their collection when they received the reserve senior male championship for Quignalegan Albert, an August 2024-born son of Dovea Genetics' AI sire Keirsbeath Karma.
Wrapping up the championships was Brendan McCawley from Co Leitrim with his red bull Newbridge Red Asian. This November 2024-born son of HW Lamborghini was Luis Martins' pick for the reserve junior male accolade.
YDP classes
It was extremely positive to see a large display of young stockpersons across the three youth development classes.
Winning the junior section was young Liam Farrell from Co Leitrim, who headed up a class of 18 young participants.
William Woods from Co Cavan stood top of the line in the intermediate section, while Fiona Mulligan from Dromod, Co Leitrim, took pole position in the senior category.
Commercial classes
Jonathan and Luke Maye from Co Roscommon came out with the red ribbons in the first of the Angus-cross classes - the best traditional Angus-cross heifer suitable for breeding or export - with Emma Higgins from Co Mayo taking first place in the other all-Ireland Angus-cross heifer class.
The Portuguese judge rounded off a long day at the office by awarding the best pair of animals to David Faughnan from Co Leitrim, with Shane McGreal from Co Mayo going back to Claremorris with the best group of three.
Read all about Saturday's Irish Angus all-Ireland finals at Strokestown in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
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