Large crowds gathered at Fennor Farm in Co. Westmeath this afternoon (Saturday, April 18) for the 2026 Gigginstown House Angus Sale.

Gigginstown House Angus is the pedigree cattle herd owned by Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. The on-farm sale kicked off at 1:00pm and was conducted by Ballyjamesduff Co. Operative Livestock Mart, with online bidding available via MartEye.

Auctioneer Tommy Harrisson was on the rostrum and first into the ring was the bulls.

There were 23 bulls offered for sale on the day and these sold for prices ranging from €3,700-6,300/head.

There was a €500 cheque on offer for the buyer of the top-priced heifer and bull on the day and €250 for the second top.

Lot 17, Gigginstown Red Eagle took the top price in the bull section of €6,300.

The red Angus bull was sired by Coolderry Red Uncle Buck and his dam was Gigginstown Red Edeline.

Two bulls sold at €6,200 on the day. First into the money was Lot three, Gigginstown A Captain Ebonhill.

This five-star terminal bull had a dairy-beef index of €152 and a calving difficulty of 2.6% on dairy cows.

He was sired by Stouphill Master Prince and his dam was Captainshill Sarah.

The second bull to hit €6,200 was Lot five, Gigginstown Drumroll.

The September 2024 born bull was sired by Drumcrow Twenty Twenty and his dam was Gigginstown Dawn Run.

Lot 23 Gigginstown Elvis sold for €6,100. This bull was also sired by Drumcrow Twenty Twenty and his dam was Shadwell Elandia.

After the bulls had all been sold, it was the turn of the in-calf heifers with an entry in this section securing the top price of the sale.

A total of 13 in-calf heifers went through the ring on the day and the top price of the section and the overall 2026 sale went the way of Lot 33, Gigginstown Lady Gatsby selling at €9,600.

This April 2024 born heifer sold in-calf to Ebon Hill Extra Gold and had a five-star replacement index.

She was sired by Drumcrow Polar Express and her dam was Gigginstown Lady Alcatraz.

Selling at €8,200 was Lot 28 Gigginstown Templar Rose. This March 2024 born heifer sold as in calf to Gigginstown Lord Belvin.

She was sired by Liss Martin and her dam was Gigginstown Transworld.

Securing a price of €6,500 was Lot 37, Gigginstown Baroness.

This heifer sold as in calf to Ebon Hill Extra Gold and her sire was Stouphill Master Prince with Gigginstown Bullet Proof as her dam.

Finally, it was the tun of the maiden heifers and there were five of these offered for sale on the day.

The top priced maiden heifer was Lot 41 Gigginstown Eva Blackcap selling at €5,850.

This November 2024 born heifer was sired by Steil Theodore and her dam was Gigginstown Essence.

Lot 44 Gigginstown Red Tigerliss sold at €5,100.

The November 2024 born maiden heifer was sired by Coolderry Red Uncle Buck and her dam was Gigginstown The Stowaway.

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Ballyjamesduff Mart manager John Tevlin said the sale was "very successful" with a full clearance achieved.

Tevlin said that the strong calf prices currently being achieved is resulting in more dairy farmers pushing to purchase a better quality bull and and said this was evident from the "huge interest" in the bulls on offer in the sale.

In-calf heifers ranged in price from €3,500-9,600/head and the maiden heifers ranged from €3,700-5,850/head.