Attendees at the National Ploughing Championships are delighted to see its return after a two-year hiatus. One man who has been coming to the event for over 25 years is Co. Cavan cattle breeder, Packie Cahill.
At 90 years of age, Packie travelled to the event with two of his pedigree Aberdeen Angus cattle which are on display at the Irish Aberdeen Angus Association’s stand at Ploughing 2022. He said that he plans to attend all three days of the event.
“I’m 90 years of age and I’ve been coming here for over 25 years – well to be honest, I’m nearly 90-and-a-half-years-old actually,” Packie laughed.
Agriland caught up with Packie at the event to hear his views on breeding cattle and about his fondness for the Ploughing.
“It’s great to be back. We missed the Ploughing over the past two years, as well as all the other shows,” he said.
“We’re coming here for so long, I’ve been meeting people here all day that I haven’t seen since the last Ploughing took place in 2019.
“There’s people you wouldn’t meet from one end of the year to the next and it’s great to see them again,” the Angus cattle breeder said.
Farming in Co. Cavan
Packie Cahill is farming in Shankill, Co. Cavan, with the help of his son Finbarr. The duo milk approximately 50 cows and breed pedigree Angus and Hereford cattle as well as pedigree Suffolk sheep.
Packie has been breeding Angus cattle for over 40 years.
“I bought my first Aberdeen Angus heifer in Carrick on Shannon for £650 at the time,” he told Agriland.
“We showed about 15 pedigree bulls last year and six of them went to Northern Ireland at an average price of €3,300.
“It was a top-class pedigree breeding heifer and I still have some of the heifers’ bloodline left.”
Packie has a fondness for the Angus breed because he says “they’re easy finished and there’s a great demand all the time for Angus cattle”.
The well-known cattle breeder said that he has an Angus stockbull that was bred by the late Frank McKiernan.
“He is of top breeding with a full-brother of his sire currently standing in an artificial insemination (AI) station and doing fierce well,” he added.
Packie said that he currently has a selection of pedigree stock for sale at his Co. Cavan farm and will no doubt meet a few potential buyers during his three days at the event.