The Duignan surname and the Laheens herd prefix are synonymous with cattle breeding, not just in Leitrim, but all over Ireland and indeed the world.
Now run by Cathal and Cormac, the herd was initially established over 80 years ago by Cathal’s father William Duignan. The herd has changed quite a bit since their first pedigree Shorthorn cows in 1937.
The Duignans now have 29 pure-bred Angus and Charolais cows roaming the pastures just eight miles outside of Carrick-on-Shannon.
However, no matter what the breed, the Laheens prefix has been a dominant fixture on both the show and sale scenes.
“In 1937, the Shorthorn bull Roan Prince had been champion at Balmoral Show. He was secured as the herd’s first stock bull and the following year went on to be champion at the spring show in the RDS," says Cormac.
A medal won by the herd's first Shorthorn stockbull Roan Prince at the Longford County Show in 1939.
Cathal says the second breed introduced was the Angus, which came on the scene in the early 1950s:
“The pedigree Angus herd originated in the early 1950s, with the purchase of two heifers, Jet Princess of Garadice, purchased locally in Leitrim, and Witch Hazel of Mount Prospect from the Mount Prospect herd in Co Wicklow.”
The latter was purchased with an Angus bull from the same herd at Prussia Street in Dublin.
“After purchasing both animals, they were walked across Dublin City and put on the train at Connolly Station. They were then transferred at Dromod Station on to the narrow gauge, which brought them to Mohill where they were walked the three-and-a-half miles home to Laheen.”
These purchases formed the foundation stock of the Angus herd, with no pedigree Angus purchased since then. Instead, the focus has been on selecting the best genetics available to enhance the herd through the use of AI.
After purchasing both animals, they were walked across Dublin City and put on the train at Connolly Station
Descendants of these purchases include Laheens Nora and Laheens Wendy, who in turn produced the Daisy line. These standout cow families have produced dozens of show champions, including numerous all-Ireland winners at both the Irish Aberdeen Angus and Irish Angus finals.
Both of these lines also produced bulls which, in recent years, attracted the interest of AI companies, with both Laheens Pierre and Laheens Prince of Eslin secured by Eurogene AI services.
“The Laheens Daisy line actually produced all the show calves for 2019. These included Laheens Rock and Roll, reserve junior champion at the Irish Aberdeen Angus all-Ireland, and Laheens Rebel, €6,500 sale-topper at the Irish Angus elite sale in December,” Cormac says.
Rebel stood as reserve male champion in the show and topped the society’s elite sale, attracting the final bid from the Scottish-based Longbank herd. He was the top-priced Angus sold at auction in 2019 and helped to reopen the Scottish market, with a total of three of the upper-priced bulls heading back to the home of the breed.
Success at this elite sale is nothing new for the Duignan duo, who have won numerous championship accolades. In 2016, the herd did the double, taking both the male and reserve male championships. The preceding year was also a successful one for them, selling the top-priced lot Laheens Larry at €6,400.
This didn’t happen by accident, as Cathal says they are regular visitors to sales in Scotland to ensure they are kept aware of any new sires for potential use on their farm.
“It’s also a great social meeting for all fellow pedigree farmers,” he adds.
Cathal and Cormac Duignan of the Laheens herd.
Charolais
“Kilmore Eva was purchased for £5,000 in 1991. She was our first ever Charolais and was bought from Joe Gilfillan at a sale in Naas, Co Kildare. She proved to be a very successful purchase and her bloodlines still remain the standout line,” Cormac says.
Eva’s descendants include Laheens Jason, the reserve junior champion at the 2015 premier March sale in Elphin, topping the trade at €10,500.
Another descendant from this line, Laheens Master, was sold at the Christmas Cracker in 2017 for €7,000. This bull was purchased by the well-known Birches herd in Northern Ireland and has since been jumped and made available through Dovea Genetics.
Careful selection goes into choosing a sire to match each cow. However, first bulls must match a certain criteria. No matter what breed, Cathal says, they must have “breed character, good heads, legs, hair quality, shape, milk and above all docility. Only then will a bull’s pedigree and figures be looked at, before matching the cow.”
This selection process has led to the herd identifying a number of top sires that work in their herd.
“Standout sires in the Angus breed include Highland Colossal and Bohey Jasper. Angus we are currently using are Bohey Jasper, HF Rebel 53Y, Early Sunset Hightime 81G and Weeton Diamond Mine. Charolais bulls used include CF52 (Doonally New), Goldstar Echo and Derryolam Impeccable.”
Due to this careful sire selection, along with a base of females that have been proven generation after generation, AI centres have been regular visitors at Laheens.
A total of 16 bulls across three breeds have been made available to pedigree and commercial breeders through AI. This massive number is among the highest of any breeder in the country and is part of the reason the Laheens prefix can be seen in the back breeding of many of the country’s top animals.
In the last year, three bulls have become available in Irish AI stations that include the aforementioned Angus bulls Laheens Pierre and Laheens Prince of Eslin from Eurogene AI. The Charalois bull Laheens Master has become available from Dovea AI.
Charolais bull Laheens Master who is now available through Dovea Genetics. \ Alfie Shaw
While not all bulls make the AI grade, they still perform very well at Carrick-on-Shannon and Elphin, where bulls are normally sold from the herd.
“Bulls and heifers are also sold from the farm to repeat and new customers, which gives us great encouragement. Many of these bulls and heifers that we sold have been the start of other successful pedigree herds," Cormac says.
“When it comes to preparing for shows and sales, it remains very much a family affair, with everyone chipping in. Some calves are brought to different local shows, as we find it a great aid in preparing them for sales. We wash, groom and clip bulls and heifers regularly pre-sale to have them looking their best on sale day.
“We enjoy this work immensely and I help out at youth development workshops to pass on the knowledge garnered throughout the years to a new generation of pedigree farmers.
“We have been fortunate to make many friends showing and selling cattle who remain lifelong friends. This really is what makes pedigree breeding so special.”
Read more
Kilbride Farm Dragoon lands 2019 bull of the year
Autumn sales review: pedigree sales fare better than expected
The Duignan surname and the Laheens herd prefix are synonymous with cattle breeding, not just in Leitrim, but all over Ireland and indeed the world.
Now run by Cathal and Cormac, the herd was initially established over 80 years ago by Cathal’s father William Duignan. The herd has changed quite a bit since their first pedigree Shorthorn cows in 1937.
The Duignans now have 29 pure-bred Angus and Charolais cows roaming the pastures just eight miles outside of Carrick-on-Shannon.
However, no matter what the breed, the Laheens prefix has been a dominant fixture on both the show and sale scenes.
“In 1937, the Shorthorn bull Roan Prince had been champion at Balmoral Show. He was secured as the herd’s first stock bull and the following year went on to be champion at the spring show in the RDS," says Cormac.
A medal won by the herd's first Shorthorn stockbull Roan Prince at the Longford County Show in 1939.
Cathal says the second breed introduced was the Angus, which came on the scene in the early 1950s:
“The pedigree Angus herd originated in the early 1950s, with the purchase of two heifers, Jet Princess of Garadice, purchased locally in Leitrim, and Witch Hazel of Mount Prospect from the Mount Prospect herd in Co Wicklow.”
The latter was purchased with an Angus bull from the same herd at Prussia Street in Dublin.
“After purchasing both animals, they were walked across Dublin City and put on the train at Connolly Station. They were then transferred at Dromod Station on to the narrow gauge, which brought them to Mohill where they were walked the three-and-a-half miles home to Laheen.”
These purchases formed the foundation stock of the Angus herd, with no pedigree Angus purchased since then. Instead, the focus has been on selecting the best genetics available to enhance the herd through the use of AI.
After purchasing both animals, they were walked across Dublin City and put on the train at Connolly Station
Descendants of these purchases include Laheens Nora and Laheens Wendy, who in turn produced the Daisy line. These standout cow families have produced dozens of show champions, including numerous all-Ireland winners at both the Irish Aberdeen Angus and Irish Angus finals.
Both of these lines also produced bulls which, in recent years, attracted the interest of AI companies, with both Laheens Pierre and Laheens Prince of Eslin secured by Eurogene AI services.
“The Laheens Daisy line actually produced all the show calves for 2019. These included Laheens Rock and Roll, reserve junior champion at the Irish Aberdeen Angus all-Ireland, and Laheens Rebel, €6,500 sale-topper at the Irish Angus elite sale in December,” Cormac says.
Rebel stood as reserve male champion in the show and topped the society’s elite sale, attracting the final bid from the Scottish-based Longbank herd. He was the top-priced Angus sold at auction in 2019 and helped to reopen the Scottish market, with a total of three of the upper-priced bulls heading back to the home of the breed.
Success at this elite sale is nothing new for the Duignan duo, who have won numerous championship accolades. In 2016, the herd did the double, taking both the male and reserve male championships. The preceding year was also a successful one for them, selling the top-priced lot Laheens Larry at €6,400.
This didn’t happen by accident, as Cathal says they are regular visitors to sales in Scotland to ensure they are kept aware of any new sires for potential use on their farm.
“It’s also a great social meeting for all fellow pedigree farmers,” he adds.
Cathal and Cormac Duignan of the Laheens herd.
Charolais
“Kilmore Eva was purchased for £5,000 in 1991. She was our first ever Charolais and was bought from Joe Gilfillan at a sale in Naas, Co Kildare. She proved to be a very successful purchase and her bloodlines still remain the standout line,” Cormac says.
Eva’s descendants include Laheens Jason, the reserve junior champion at the 2015 premier March sale in Elphin, topping the trade at €10,500.
Another descendant from this line, Laheens Master, was sold at the Christmas Cracker in 2017 for €7,000. This bull was purchased by the well-known Birches herd in Northern Ireland and has since been jumped and made available through Dovea Genetics.
Careful selection goes into choosing a sire to match each cow. However, first bulls must match a certain criteria. No matter what breed, Cathal says, they must have “breed character, good heads, legs, hair quality, shape, milk and above all docility. Only then will a bull’s pedigree and figures be looked at, before matching the cow.”
This selection process has led to the herd identifying a number of top sires that work in their herd.
“Standout sires in the Angus breed include Highland Colossal and Bohey Jasper. Angus we are currently using are Bohey Jasper, HF Rebel 53Y, Early Sunset Hightime 81G and Weeton Diamond Mine. Charolais bulls used include CF52 (Doonally New), Goldstar Echo and Derryolam Impeccable.”
Due to this careful sire selection, along with a base of females that have been proven generation after generation, AI centres have been regular visitors at Laheens.
A total of 16 bulls across three breeds have been made available to pedigree and commercial breeders through AI. This massive number is among the highest of any breeder in the country and is part of the reason the Laheens prefix can be seen in the back breeding of many of the country’s top animals.
In the last year, three bulls have become available in Irish AI stations that include the aforementioned Angus bulls Laheens Pierre and Laheens Prince of Eslin from Eurogene AI. The Charalois bull Laheens Master has become available from Dovea AI.
Charolais bull Laheens Master who is now available through Dovea Genetics. \ Alfie Shaw
While not all bulls make the AI grade, they still perform very well at Carrick-on-Shannon and Elphin, where bulls are normally sold from the herd.
“Bulls and heifers are also sold from the farm to repeat and new customers, which gives us great encouragement. Many of these bulls and heifers that we sold have been the start of other successful pedigree herds," Cormac says.
“When it comes to preparing for shows and sales, it remains very much a family affair, with everyone chipping in. Some calves are brought to different local shows, as we find it a great aid in preparing them for sales. We wash, groom and clip bulls and heifers regularly pre-sale to have them looking their best on sale day.
“We enjoy this work immensely and I help out at youth development workshops to pass on the knowledge garnered throughout the years to a new generation of pedigree farmers.
“We have been fortunate to make many friends showing and selling cattle who remain lifelong friends. This really is what makes pedigree breeding so special.”
Read more
Kilbride Farm Dragoon lands 2019 bull of the year
Autumn sales review: pedigree sales fare better than expected
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