Young Leitrim auctioneer wins Macra Aurivo Northwest King title
A young livestock auctioneer from Co. Leitrim and a travel agent from Co. Roscommon have been crowned the overall champions of the 19th annual Aurivo Northwest Kings and Queens competition.
Taking the coveted title of the 2026 Aurivo Northwest King was Cian Connolly from Carrigallen Macra in Co. Leitrim.
Winning the 2026 Aurivo Northwest Queen title was Laurie Curtis from South Roscommon Macra.
The 2026 Aurivo Northwest King, Cian Connolly is from Drumreilly in Co. Leitrim and is working as a livestock auctioneer and suckler farmer.
The 22-year-old has been working as an auctioneer for the past two years.
Commenting on his career highlights from 2025, he said: "For me, it was getting out to be selling cattle most days of the week.
"Others would say it was selling the top-priced heifer at the 2026 Carrick Winter Fair. It could be a bit of both".
The young, up-and-coming livestock auctioneer works at several marts across the north-west region and qualified as an auctioneer through Technological University Dublin.
Originally from Naas, Co. Kildare, Laurie Curtis moved to Roosky in Co. Roscommon after buying a house there in 2022.
She works as an excursion specialist for City Experiences and is also a singer and songwriter in her spare time.
She has been actively involved in Macra since January 2015 and was previously involved in Naas Macra before moving to Roscommon. The newly-crowned Aurivo Northwest Queen is also the county treasurer for Roscommon Macra.
The annual regional event took place at the Radisson Hotel in Sligo on Saturday, January 24, and saw Macra put all 16 contestants through a full day of activities, such as a challenging game of 'The Cube' at Waxies Bar in Sligo before they were interviewed live on stage by MC for the evening, local radio presenter, Dave Duke.
The judges for the 2026 event were:
- MEP for the Midlands-North-West constituency, Maria Walsh;
- Philip Hamilton, Aurivo;
- Caroline Millar-Price, Aurivo;
- Breifne O'Brien, Agriland.
The Mayo queen Ciara O'Rourke and the Ballyhaise Agricultural College king Adam McGrath from Co. Louth finished in second place.
The 2025 event winners were Leitrim's Sinéad O'Reilly, and Wexford's Tom Devereux.
