The manager of Portumna Mart is to retire after 40 years working in livestock sales.
Marie Young has been manager in Portumna for the last four years, which she called a “challenging but rewarding role”.
She said she had strong support from everybody involved in the Co. Galway mart.
She started her career in Nenagh Mart, eventually becoming office manager there.
Young told Agriland: “My working career started in Nenagh Mart 40 years ago, where I progressed to the office manager, and was very much involved in the amalgamation of Birr, Nenagh, and Roscrea, which formed Central Auctions.
“I was afforded the opportunity to become mart manager of Portumna Mart four years ago which was a very challenging but rewarding role. I had a lot of support from staff; the committee; buyer and seller clients; and family and friends,” she added.
Young drew attention to the fortunes of the mart during her tenure.
“Over the four years I saw Portumna Mart grow from strength to strength, with a turnover of €32 million in 2023, made up of 35,500 cattle and 16,500 sheep.
“Portumna Mart is an excellent facility which has a gateway location between the midlands and the west, with top quality livestock on offer,” she said.
“I wish Portumna Mart and my successor every success for the future,” Young added.
Sales suspended at Athenry Mart
In other mart news, the sheep sale at Athenry Mart, also in Co. Galway, on Monday (January 15) was cancelled.
Speaking to Agriland on Monday, the chair of the mart, Michael Francis Murphy, said the mart has “a few issues that we need to resolve before our licence is renewed”.
He said the marts licence “was up at the end of the year” (2023).
Murphy also told Agriland that there are a few “small issues” that need to be resolved with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and he added “[it has] no problem granting our licence… just need to get this thing sorted”.