Ballyline Vin Sets Roscommon Alight – €10,400 Champion Headlines Thrilling Spring Finale

Roscommon Mart was buzzing on Saturday, 24th May, as Kieran Flatley took on judging duties at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s final spring 2025 sale. From 33 bulls forward, 32 sold to a 97% clearance, averaging €5,734.

Breeder Bertie Mannion stole the show with an incredible trio of first-prize winners. His Ballyline bulls went on to claim Champion & Reserve Champion and sell for a combined €22,400 in the ring—a fitting reward for decades of elite breeding.

Sale highlights:

Top-priced bull: €10,400.

Bull clearance rate: 97%.

Average bull price: €5,734 – A record average for a Roscommon Limousin sale.

Eleven bulls sold for €6,000 or over.

Lot 30: Tapped out as Champion was BALLYLINE VIN, a son of Plumtree Fantastic from the herd of Bertie Mannion, Curraghboy, Co. Roscommon. Vin’s dam Ballyline Jo is a daughter of Gleannari Everest. Born in January 2024, Vin is a double carrier of the F94L gene. After a flurry of bids both ringside and online Vin was acquired for €10,400 by a Fermanagh based purchaser.

Lot 20. The first prize winning Ampertaine Commander son CORROY UKI ET sold for €7,700. Uki was bred by Declan Filan, Boyle, Co. Roscommon. Born in November 2023, Uki is out of a Wilodge Vantastic cow – Elite Kasia E. Uki has two copies of the Q204X gene. Uki was purchased by a Fermanagh based farmer.

Lot 44: BAILEYS VIKING sold for the same price of  €7,700. Viking was presented by Tom Bailey, Batterstown, Co. Meath. Viking is a Tomschoice Lexicon son, out of Baileys Sweetie Et, a daughter of Ampertaine Gigolo and the renowned Baileys Iceprincess. Viking placed second in his class. This double F94L carrier was purchased by a Roscommon based farmer.

Lot 52: Selling for €7,400 was LIVERPOOL VERNON, from the Boyle based herd of Kevin Graham. Vernon has Fuschia, Plumtree Fantastic and Haltcliffe Dancer in his sire stack. He placed third in his class in the pre-sale show. Fourteen month old Vernon was acquired by a Wicklow based herd.

Lot 17: CLONBONNY UNDERWRITER, bred in Athlone, Co. Westmeath by Tony and Darren Hartnett, sold for €7,200. This first-prize winner is a son Foxhillfarm Jasper and Clonbonny Magic, an Ampertaine Commander daughter. Underwriter has a copy of the F94L gene and a copy of the Q204X gene. His dam is a full sister of Clonbonny Legend, who was the All Ireland Junior Champion in 2016. Underwriter was sold to a county Louth based purchaser.

Lot 18: Topping off a good day’s trading for Declan Filan was CORROY UBER ET who sold for  €7,000. Uber is a full brother to Uki (Lot 20 sold for €7,700). Placed second in his class, Uber found a new home in county Louth. Uber is a double carrier of the F94L gene.

Lot 39: Reserve Champion BALLYLINE VALDIMIR, sold for €7,000. Valdimir has Plumtree Fantastic, Castleview Gazelle and Glennari Everest in his lineage. Valdimir was purchased by a Westmeath based purchaser.

Lot 49: Fourteen month old MOOHANE VANTASTIC commanded a price of €6,900 from a Roscommon farmer. Vantastic is sired by Aughalion Prince, his dam Moohane Nolie is a daughter of Grenache. Bred by John Meehan, Newmarket On Fergus, Co. Clare, Vantastic is a double F94L carrier. Vantastic was judged the Best Bull Calf in the Large Herds Competition in Clare in 2024.

Lot 15: The fourth prize winner REGANS ULTAN sold for €6,700 to a Westmeath based purchaser. Eighteen month old Ultan was bred by Conor Regan of Kilkelly, Co. Mayo. Ultan’s pedigree includes Mereside Godolphin, Goldies Jackpot and Queenshead Altea.

Lot 46: CAPPADUFF VANDYKE bred by Joe Moran, Claremorris, Co. Mayo changed hands for €6,500. Vandyke is a Tomschoice Lexicon son, his dam Cappaduff Pearl has Plumtree Fantastic and Sympa in her lineage. Vandyke has a copy of the F94L gene and a copy of the Q204X gene. He was acquired by a Roscommon based customer.

Lot 34: LISNAGEERAGH VAN HELSING sold for €6,400 to a county Longford purchaser. Van Helsing was bred by Des Joyce, Williamstown, Co. Galway. He is a son of Ampertaine Metric and the Wilodge Cerberus dam Glencarr Marget Et. This blue rosette winner has a copy of the F94L gene and a copy of the Q204X gene.

Lot 25. COOTEHALL VONN, sold for €5,900. Vonn has Norman Inventor, Wanthwaite Jackal and Sympa in his pedigree. Vonn was bred by Michael O’Hara, Boyle. Vonn has a copy of the F94L gene and a copy of the NT821 gene. Placed second in his class, he was the pick of a Galway based herd.

Lot 7: First-prize winner NOVINCHRISTIE UGOODBOY 2 claimed a selling price of €5,500 from a Galway based purchaser. UGoodboy 2 is by Keltic Pilgrim (a Keltic Handsome son) and maternal brother to Novinchristie Tyson, Senior Champion at the 2024 Roscommon sale. Ugoodboy 2 has a copy of the F94L and the Q204X genes. He was bred in Swinford, Co. Mayo by Noel Barry.

Lot 36: Also heading to a new home in Galway is MOOHANE VAN DAM, bred by John Meehan, Newmarket On Fergus. Van Dam is a son of Aughalion Prince and the Aultside Hulk dam Moohane Polly. This double F94L carrier claimed fourth prize in his show class and sold for €5,400.

Lot 41: CARROWREAGH VLADIMIR bred by Pat Bruen, Elphin, Co. Roscommon sold for €5,400. Vladimir is a son of Plumtree Fantastic, with Ampertaine Gigolo and Eleazar also in his lineage. Vladimir was purchased by a Galway based farmer.

Lot 38: The Ewdenvale Ivor third prize winner BALLINASCRAW VIRGO sold for €5,300. Virgo was bred in Ballinalee, Co. Longford by father and son duo John & Stephen Lynch. Virgo’s dam is the Ampertaine Foreman daughter Ballinascraw Irresistable. Virgo was acquired by a Ballinasloe based customer.

Lot 42: A county Monaghan based purchaser acquired CARROWREAGH VALENTINE for €5,100 from his breeder Pat Bruen. Valentine is a Tomschoice Lexicon son with Ampertaine Foreman and Sympa also in his pedigree. His dam Adamson Nora is a maternal sister to Carrowreagh Pablo (LM7077 standing in Dovea AI). Valentine has a single copy of the F94L gene and a copy of the Q204X gene.

Nine bulls sold for €5,000

Lot 6: CASTLESHANE UPTON ET, a second prize winner changed hands for €5,000. Upton is sired by Ampertaine Elgin and out of the renowned donor cow Scotchtown Esther -very successful bloodlines. Upton’s full brother Castlebrock Uncle Albert Et was Reserve Junior Male Champion at last year’s National show. Upton was bred by Gerard Greenan, Castleshane, Co. Monaghan, his purchaser is based in Galway.

Lot 10: The bull with the lowest predicted calving figure CAVELANDS UNIQUE 2 sold for €5,000 to a county Louth based farmer.  Unique 2 was bred in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo by Paul Sykes. Born in September 2023, Unique 2 is a son of Jt, with Anecdote and Elderberry Galahad in his lineage. Unique 2 is a double F94L carrier.

Lot 14: BOSTONIA UMAR, a third prize winner also fetched €5,000. Umar was bred in Enniscrone, Co. Sligo by Brendan and Greg Feeney. Umar has Ampertaine Elgin, Goldies Jackpot and Mas Du Clo in his sire stack. Umar has one copy of the F94L gene and one copy of the Q204X gene. Umar was purchased by a farmer from Roscommon.

Lot 16: Heading to a new home in Monaghan is LOUGH CONN UNTOUCHABULL, a Tomschoice Lexicon son bred by Richard Hegerty, Ballina, Co. Mayo. Untouchabull is a double F94L carrier. His dam Lough Conn Nightnurse is a daughter of Roundhill Saturn.

Lot 19: The fourth prize winner SHANKLOUGH U 2 was purchased by a Longford based customer for €5,000. U 2 is a son of Tomschoice Lexicon. This double F94L carrier was bred by Mervyn Kneafsey, Ballina.

Lot 29: ALOOR VULTAN, a third prize winning Netsurfer son bred by Patsy Creighton, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon sold for €5,000. Vultan’s dam Aloor Mamo is a daughter of Castleview Gazelle. Double F94L carrier Vultan was the pick of a Roscommon based purchaser.

Lot 47: Rounding off a brilliant day for Bertie Mannion was BALLYLINE VANDO, the third Ballyline bull to claim a red rosette. Vando is a son of Plumtree Fantastic, and Ballyline Norma a Goldies Jackpot daughter. Vando carries the F94L gene and the Q204X gene, he found a new home in county Tyrone for €5,000.

Lot 48: CAPPADUFF VIKING NW, a son of Tomschoice Lexicon met his reserve at €5,000. Viking was bred by Joe Moran, Claremorris. Fourteen month old Viking’s dam is a daughter of Queenshead Altea. Viking was purchased by a Roscommon based customer.

Lot 50: Fourth prize winner OHILL VERY NICE was the final bull to breach the €5,000 mark. Very Nice has Ewdenvale Ivor, Wildoge Cerberus and Mas Du Clo in his sire stack. Very nice was bred in Mohill, Co. Leitrim by Patrick Beirne. He is a double F94L carrier. He was the pick of a Galway based farmer.

Other prices

Lot	Name	Sire	Owner	Placing	Price
1	AMMAGHMORE UGO	Fuschia	Sean Garrett	Third Prize Winner	€4,400
22	MEELICKADUFF UB 40	Chatelain	Michael Hester		€4,400
13	MEELICKADUFF UPBEAT	Netherhall Jackpot	Michael Hester		€4,300
53	ALOOR VIVIAN	Chatelain	Patsy Creighton		€4,300
24	CLOONCARA LIMOUSINS V8	Whinfellpark Lomu	David Cogan	Third Prize Winner	€3,900
8	MEELICKADUFF UNIT	Tomschoice Iceberg	Michael Hester	Fourth Prize Winner	€3,700

Sale Summary

With 33 forward and 32 sold, the Roscommon sale brought down the curtain on the spring season in superb fashion. Strong prices, great quality bulls and a packed ringside all added to the occasion.

Sincere thanks to our judge Kieran Flatley, auctioneer George Candler, the show stewards Ann, Michael and Gerry, society office staff and Roscommon Mart management and staff.

Many thanks to all bidders – we wish all purchasers the very best with their new Limousin livestock.

Next Society Sale

Roscrea Premier Sale on the 27^th of October.