Cavan's most fertile sheep?

A Mountnugent farming family got a pleasant surprise as one of their sheep gave birth to no less than six healthy lambs! The minor miracle commenced at about 5pm on Saturday afternoon at the Clontyduffy farm, of Gerry Carroll and Elizabeth Ryan. "It happened very quickly," recalls Elizabeth. "Gerry went out and there were two there, and he brought her in and they went bang-bang-bang. He was hoping to God there would be only three and there were six! "Gerry and the kids had a great surprise." This isn't the first time the prolific sheep, a Belclare cross, has raised eyebrows. Last January she produced five lambs, but noone in the family expected her to repeat the performance this time, let alone go one better. It is rare enough for a sheep to give birth to six lambs, but for all to appear so fit and healthy is truly remarkable. Gerry will help out the sheep by bottle feeding the lambs. "These are healthy and flying these won't have a problem," enthused Elizabeth. "They are strong, they didn't need to go under a light or anything." Aside from the odd photographer life continued as normal on the busy farm. "Farmers just get on with it," said Elizabeth. "I think he just told the neighbours around. He's busy putting in cattle and that sort of thing, so he takes it in his stride."