Roscommon Sheep Breeders’ Association has had a motion passed by Roscommon County Council that the sheep featured on the county crest accurately reflects the Roscommon breed.
A similar motion has been sent to Roscommon GAA as its crest currently appears to depict a Hampshire Down sheep, according to Sandra Coote, secretary of the Roscommon Sheep Breeders’ Association.
A joint motion by independent councillor Tony Waldron and Fine Gael councillor Liam Callaghan at a recent monthly meeting of the local authority requested that groups or organisations using the county crest “should take cognisance of the appearance of the sheep and reflect is as accurately as possible to that of the Roscommon sheep breed”.
The councillors said that it was vital that the Roscommon sheep breed was portrayed on the county crest in the interests of heritage, culture and tourism. The motion was fully supported by fellow members.
‘Correct crest’
The CEO of Roscommon County Council, Shane Tiernan, said it was important that the local authority used the correct crest at all times.
The association is now calling on Roscommon GAA to follow suit.
“On behalf of Roscommon Sheep Breeders’ Association, I would like to put forward a proposal to change the county crest to accurately reflect its Roscommon history and heritage,” Sandra said in a letter to the GAA.
“All of the elements that are included in the Roscommon crest have a strong and enduring meaning. They represent amongst other historical associations Rathcroghan and St. Coman,” she said.
“The inclusion of a sheep on the crest represents the strong importance of Roscommon as a centre of sheep rearing and rightly so.
“Since the 1700s, the quality and attributes of the sheep bred in Roscommon gained notoriety throughout the world and by the mid- to late-1800s were an acclaimed breed, winning numerous prizes and being exported throughout the world.”
Roscommon sheep
The Roscommon Sheep Breeders’ Association was formed in 1895, with the county’s sheep at its core.
“These sheep were a large white sheep with a small tuft of wool on their forehead,” Sandra explained.
“Unfortunately, the breed fell into decline and were considered extinct,” Sandra added.
“However, this was not the case. Remnants of the original breed have survived and an association was reestablished in 2022.
“Over the last few years much work has been done by breeders to have this important sheep breed again fully recognised as Ireland’s oldest native sheep breed.
“Genetic testing is ongoing and each year the numbers are growing slowly. Over the next few years it is envisaged that the Roscommon sheep breed will again be recognised as a pedigree breed by the Department of Agriculture [Food and the Marine].”
GAA
Sandra said the association is proposing that Roscommon GAA reconsider the breed of the sheep on their crest “in support of the ongoing work by the Roscommon Sheep Breeders’ Association”.
“The breed on the crest appears to be a black-faced Hampshire Down Sheep native to Hampshire in England with no known association with Co. Roscommon,” she said.
“Instead we feel that the crest should bear a white-faced Roscommon sheep, a sheep that not only carries the name of the county but also has a very strong historical connection with the county.”
Sandra said that the GAA has not come forward with any indication of when it might amend its crest and it appeared that this might take some time.
Agriland requested a comment from Roscommon GAA.