Close shaves as shearers go into action

"Wolf Pups for Sale" said the sign outside a house north of Gorey yesterday within miles of where the National Sheep Shearing…

"Wolf Pups for Sale" said the sign outside a house north of Gorey yesterday within miles of where the National Sheep Shearing Championships were being held.

Perhaps they were selling sheep in wolf's clothing but it was an odd sign, nevertheless, bearing in mind that the last Irish wolf was destroyed in Ireland in 1850.

From a Wexford hurling point of view there was a serious raider on their territory yesterday, with Kilkenny hurling legend D.J. Carey, officially opening the event which was held at the Buffer's Alley GAA Club in Monamolin, Co Wexford.

The chairman of the organising committee, Michael Murphy, said D.J. may well be a saint in Kilkenny but as far as the Wexford people are concerned, he is a devil.

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Despite that, he was given a tremendous welcome by the thousands of people who came to support the event which is the third largest specialist event of its kind in the country.

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Authority made a lightning inspection of the site to ensure everyone's safety.

There were no signs of any panic at the GAA grounds where 1,500 sheep had been assembled to be stripped of their fleeces in the dozens of competitions to find the best sheep shearers in the country.

With yesterday's unseasonal weather it was easy to be sorry for the poor sheep losing their coats to be sent off pink and exposed into the sea fog which hung over the site.

Few would believe that it was June 1st, only a score of days from Midsummer's Day, not that that detracted from the myriad of events taking place on the site.

The event had shades of the National Ploughing Championships with its muddy car-parks which had been churned up by the cars and four wheel drives.

The dozens of marquees, tents and caravans which doubled for stands, were packed with people sheltering from the rain which was relentless.

With the heavy smell of chips and crushed grass were it not for the rain, it might even have been summer.

But shearing is a serious business and shearing faster than anyone else can bring its rewards.

On Saturday night, before a capacity crowd, New Zealander, James Fagan, sheared a sheep in 19.6 seconds before a crowd which included Evelyn Quigley from Rathmore, Co Wexford.

The event has its serious side too. Sheep farmers have to pay €2 per head to have their sheep shorn to prevent them getting pneumonia.

For the last number of years, there has been no real return from wool.

However, there was some good news yesterday at the site where farmers were talking about better returns as wool is now being used in the construction industry as insulation and in bedding.

While the organisers were a little bit disappointed at attendances at this, the 50th anniversary of the event, there was a certain satisfaction that it will continue to hold is place in the annual calendar of farming events.