Stolen rams recovered 40km from owner's farm

Farmer Frank McGovern had 11 pedigree rams recovered near Oram, Co Monaghan, the farmer has told Northern Sound.

They were discovered around 40km from where they went missing in Cootehill, Co Cavan.

Speaking on the radio station, McGovern said: “If we were told they were in a field in Kerry, we would have gone to look. I was amazed they were there.”

The sheep that went missing were six Charollais, four Texel and one Lleyn.

This incident he said was a “two-person job”.

“There was someone at this end with local knowledge that knew the rams were there and there had to be someone from the other end to find a field to put them in," he said.

On livestock theft, McGovern said: “This is an ongoing occurrence. These people live among us. They are pretend farmers – they could be farmers standing beside you at the mart and the next thing they are out stealing sheep and cattle.”