‘You can’t become an auctioneer you have to be born one’
While recently appointed auctioneer for the Hereford Society, where he presides over the sale of some of the best pedigree cattle in the country, Eamonn Gaffney says he owes his start in the business to an opportunity given to him in a mart in Leitrim.
“I started off full time as livestock auctioneer in Carrigallen mart in 2011. The mart manager, Helen Kells, gave me a start and encouraged me. If it wasn’t for her, I probably wouldn’t be still doing it. Every other manager told me ‘Come back when you have experience’ but Helen encouraged me to have a go.”
A number of important qualities make a good auctioneer, according to Eamonn.
“What makes a good auctioneer is being able to understand the person outside the ring, as well as the animal inside it. You have to be able to do both. It’s not something you can learn. An old man over in the West of Ireland once said to me ‘you can’t become an auctioneer, you have to be born one’.
“You could send a person off to do a course about it in Dublin. You be the brightest spark on the course but then, you could stand up on the stand in a mart to sell cattle, and you might not have a clue what to do. Selling livestock is a skill in itself. You have to judge the animal and try to get the best price for it,” outlined the Cornafean man.
Of course, Eamonn agrees you still require the necessary qualifications and documentation.
In his role as auctioneer for the Hereford Society, Eamonn presides over several sales each year and says prices achieved in recent months have been good.
“In the Hereford society, we have six sales a year - Four in Spring in Tullamore, Nenagh, Bandon, and Kilmallock; and two further Autumn sales in Nenagh and Kilmallock. The animals for sale are the cream of the crop. Everybody keeps their elite cattle for those sales,” he revealed.
Last year was a good year for Herefords, which were in high demand. Farmers, who travel from all over the country to those specialist sales, were happy with the prices. Most Hereford breeders are concentrated in the south of the country - an area synonymous with dairy farming. After dairy farmers finish with AI, Herefords are a popular choice to mop up for the breeding season.
Herefords crossed with other breeds are popular in the northeast, Eamonn finds.
“A lot of Hereford heifers from around Cavan and Monaghan end up in the dairy herd, some of them go into suckler herd. People buy them for replacements. They’re popular with dairy farmers and they’re easy to finish,” he remarked.
Eamonn also works as an auctioneer, with Eamonn Gaffney Auctioneers, dealing in sales and letting for agriculture, as well as commercial and residential properties. He also carries out valuations for agriculture in both property and farm animals.
“I work in Carrigallen mart every Saturday, and Monday,and also work in Cavan Mart on a Friday and Cootehill Mart on a Friday evening,” he said.
Eamonn said demand for land has surged in recent times.
“There is good demand for land for renting, leasing and purchase. As the old saying goes, ‘they’re not making any more of it.’ Any business person that has money is buying up land, it’s safe to invest in. The price generally doesn’t fluctuate that much compared to property,” he said.
As if he wasn’t busy enough, Eamonn also is a farmer and works for Progressive Genetics.
“I’m a dairy farmer as well. It’s busy on the farm. We’re Spring calving, a lot of cows are calving. It’s a nice time of the year. It’s a lot but we’re managing. I get help doing the evening milking on the farm. I do the morning milking and whatever farm work needs to be done. I’m also on the road servicing AI flasks for Progressive Genetics. On a typical day I could do a mix of everything, moving from one to the other. I recently stood down from being chairman of Cornafean GAA, you could say I like being busy.”
Despite constantly juggling different jobs, Eamonn still makes time for his family.
“My wife Aisling is a member An Garda Síochána. She helps me a lot with paper work. We have three children, Ellie (four), Ned (two) and Peggy Sue (eight months).”