IFJ Junior: show brothers are born and bred

The Robinson family have a real passion for agriculture and sheep. Oisín (17), Fíonn (15) and Shéa (9) farm in Termon, Co Donegal alongside their parents Seamus and Una.

The farm is 45ac, which is rented, so breeding quality livestock has always been extremely important to get the most out of the land. On their farm, they run a flock of 50 ewes, mostly pedigree Lanarks with a few show-quality commercials and a herd of five show-quality suckler cows.

Breeding top quality livestock and competing at shows has been in the Robinson genes for generations, and the boys’ father and grandfather are well-known figures in the show rings.

“Showing is in our blood, and growing up around the show rings with our father, has given all three of us a great love for it. We plan to keep doing it for many years and hope that the success we have had continues,” says Fíonn.

Booming success

In recent years, the brothers have had much success with their pedigree Lanark flock. To keep the quality high within the flock, the top ewes are kept pedigree, and the remainder of the ewes are mated with a Bluefaced Leicester ram to produce show-quality mule females.

All of the pedigree Lanark females are sold at the Tir Conaill Blackface sheep breeders’ sale, and the males are sold at the South of Ireland Lanark Sheep breeders’ sale. All of the mule females are sold privately from home.

In the cow herd, quality is very much to the fore, using 100% AI to breed top-quality show calves. The calves are sold each year at the Elite halter sale in Stranorlar and at the Carrick Winter Fair.

“Each year, they sold extremely well,” says Oisín, “but the highlight was in 2023 at the Carrick winter fair when we sold our heifer for €4,600. She then went on to be crowned the reserve breeding heifer champion at the 2025 Balmoral Show.”

The Robinson brothers have also invested strongly in top genetics both within the sheep flock and the cow herd. “This is important to keep the quality of our stock improving all the time,” Oisín continues. “These investments included the purchase of a new Lanark stock ram in 2024 for €5,000. It’s already paying off with two of the new ram’s daughters winning champion Lanark at Finn Valley Show and reserve champion Lanark at Dundalk show a few weeks ago.”

The latest addition to the cow herd is a quality Belgian Blue cross heifer that Oisín purchased for €6,600 at the 2024 Elite haltered sale in Stranorlar mart. “This heifer has done extremely well since,” he says, “and she was shown at Dundalk show where she picked up a win in the breeding heifer class.”

The future of farming

The brothers are very much set on a future of farming. Oisín who is 17 has just finished school and plans on attending agricultural college in September. For the last two springs, Oisín has spent some of the lambing season in Scotland, where he was part of a team lambing a large flock of hill ewes.

“I learned a huge amount about flock management and breeding in Scotland and I was able to implement this into our own flock when I returned to Ireland.

“I would recommend to anyone passionate about sheep breeding to go abroad and gain experience on another farm. During the summer months, I am busy shearing ewes across the country with my father,” says Oisín.

Fíonn is 15 and is still in secondary school; he has passion and drive for a future in farming. “I love attending shows and sales throughout the summer. As well as showing Lanarks, I also have a small number of Suftex show sheep that I have been successful with in recent years, winning many prizes including overall champion at the 2023 Menacross show,” he says.

The youngest of the brothers is 9-year-old Shéa. Although he is still in primary school, he is a force to be reckoned with in the young handlers’ classes.

Over the past few years, he has gathered an impressive collection of trophies and first prize rosettes from shows right across the country.

“One of the highlights for me was winning champion young hander in 2024 at our home show, the Kilmacrennan and District Sheep Show,” he says with a smile.

Plans for the summer

It’s safe to say the brothers won’t be bored over the summer with a jam-packed show calendar to replace their school days.

They have already taken part in a number of shows this year including two of the boy’s calendar favourites, Dudalk and Finn Valley show.

Both of these have been successful for the brothers with their show heifer picking up a win in Dundalk and their two Lanark ewe lambs picking up reserve champion in Dundalk and champion in Finn Valley, respectively.

Their dad Seamus says, “Both Una and I are very proud of all the boys have achieved in the show rings. It has given them a great drive to work hard for success. We’re sure the future of the farm is in great hands.”