Denis Lehane: We musn’t lose sight of the little things in life that cheer us up
I was sorry to hear the news that Tiger Roll won’t be racing in Aintree this year.
I know some might say that the world has bigger fish to fry these days, rather than to be concerned with a horse running in the Grand National.
But I don’t know about all that kind of talk.
Yes, it’s true the horse race had to be cancelled, but it’s important too that we don’t lose sight of all the little things in life that cheer us up. I remember the excitement last year, with the build up to the race, and more so when Tiger Roll romped home ahead of the pack.
I was sitting in my old jeep having a break from work, and chewing on a sandwich, while listening to the race on the radio. His win made my day. I didn’t have money on the horse, nor do I know the animal personally.
It was just a bit of happy news. Something cheerful to occupy the mind for a while. A success story I hoped could be repeated this year.
It’s important that we don’t lose sight of those little bits of good news in life.
This sense of doom and foreboding that is enveloping the world at the moment is not good for the head.
Especially the heads of the young. It’s OK when you reach middle age to have a certain amount of doom and foreboding in your diet, a bit like bran or fibre, it’s probably necessary to keep a fellow on the straight and narrow. But you don’t need a mountain of it every day.
If you can find an avenue at the moment that brings you a little happiness, head down that avenue. It’s not a crime to smile.
It hasn’t been outlawed yet, even if our quest for toilet roll has overtaken our interest in Tiger Roll.
Of course, the announcement earlier this week that McDonald’s is to temporarily close its fast food restaurants is good news for nobody. Especially beef farmers like ourselves who are so dependent on the likes of McDonald’s.
And on Tuesday, the news that mart sales are to be suspended was another blow.
But we must remember that these closures are only temporary. People haven’t gone off beef, they have only gone off each other. When this virus business blows over (which it will), I believe beef will bounce back to where it belongs, on top.
Who’s to say that those who now frown on beef, won’t turn back to it in droves, when they realise the nutritional and health giving benefits it offers?
Beef (and steak in particular) are superfoods.
Staying with beef, and the marts, for the last time until April 19, at the earliest.
It was a calf-only affair.
Mart manager Tom McCarthy reported “a very strong trade for calves”.
Friesian bulls sold from €50 to €225, with stronger lads making up to €310 a head. Friesian heifers made up to €250 a head.
The mart had a good few Angus calves, with bulls making up to €335 a head and heifers selling to €240 a head.
Next to Skibbereen, where on Friday dry cows sold from €50 under to €320 over the kilo. Friesian bullocks made from €200 up to €330 with the kilo. Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bullocks sold from €250 to €550 with the kilo. Weanling bulls sold from €300 up to €450 with their weight. Heifers in Skibbereen on Friday sold from up to €250 to €550 with the kilo.
- No Breed Sex Weight €
- 2 Fr steers 552kg 880
- 3 AA steers 521kg 1005
- 4 Hr steers 540kg 985
- 2 Ch heifers 610kg 1155
- 2 Sim heifers 507kg 980
- 1 Fr cow 725kg 1030
- 1 Lm cow 670kg 990
Castleisland mart also saw a strong trade for calves.
Mart manager, John Humphreys, report to us on Monday’s calf sale.
“Despite restrictions from Covid-19 within the mart, the trade remained strong on Monday. We saw nearly 800 calves hit the mart.
“Friesian bulls ranged from €30 to €222. Shipping style calves made from €30 up, while calves bought by farmers generally made from €120 upwards.
“Stronger Friesian bulls were in very strong demand from farmers. A four-week-old Friesian bull calf made €142. Hereford and Angus calves were well up in numbers today. Bulls ranged from €110 to €332 whilst heifers ranged from €70 to €280. Stronger calves, typically three weeks up, were demanding the higher prices. A three-week-old Aberdeen Angus bull calf made €262, while a three-week-old Hereford heifer made €245.
As with the Friesian, Hereford and Angus, stronger continental calves were again making the better prices per head.
“There was huge demand again at Monday’s sale for continental calves. A strong buyer presence from all parts of the country, North and South, were in attendance. Continental heifers ranged from €135 to €380 while bulls made from €175 to €430.
“A three-week-old Limousin heifer made €235, and a three-week-old Belgian Blue bull made €277.”
Kilkenny mart had a good sale of dairy stock also on Monday, with mart manager, George Candler, describing it as “a lively affair”.
No Breed Sex Weight €
- 1 Ch steer 785kg 1600
- 2 Lim steers 495kg 1130
- 7 Fr steers 460kg 700
- 3 Ch steers 370kg 965
- 4 AA heifers 540kg 1000
- 3 Lim heifers 520kg 1090
- 4 Ch heifers 560kg 1240
Freshly calved Friesian heifers sold from €1420 to €1720 per head. Freshly calved Friesian cows second to fourth calvers made from €1,200 to €1,770 per head.
Looking back at last Thursday’s general cattle sale, George said, “We had a bigger sale of cattle on Thursday, with trade more difficult due to restrictions regarding the coronvirus, with some regular customers not attending, due to personal health concerns.”
At Kilkenny mart on Thursday, bullocks sold from €1.50/kg to €2.92/kg. Heifers made from €1.60/kg to €2.45/kg. Friesian cull cows sold from €0.80/kg to €1.55/kg. Continental cull cows made from €1.15/kg to €1.90/kg.
Kilkenny mart on Thursday had 930 cattle on offer.
No Breed Sex Weight €
- 7 Fr steers 528kg 905
- 6 Hr steers 480kg 940
- 3 Ch heifers 458kg 820
- 6 AA heifers 487kg 820
- 3 Lim heifers 353kg 765
- 1 Fr cow 710kg 800
- 1 Fr cow 502kg 760
Kanturk mart on Tuesday had a big sale, the 1,120 cattle included 710 calves.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there were only calves on offer at Kilmallock mart on Monday. Denis Kirby of GVM reported “a strong trade, with 450 calves on offer.”
Finally for this week, and perhaps for a while, we head to Corrin mart where, on Tuesday, 1,300 cattle were on offer. Trade was reported to be very strong for bullocks, with an excellent demand for dry cows.
Bullocks in Corrin made from €150 to €525, with stronger stores making from €230 to €670 with the kilo.
Store heifers sold from €160 to €360 with the kilo.
No Breed Sex Weight €
- 10 Ch steers 499kg 1170
- 3 Sim steers 338kg 795
- 4 Lim steers 520kg 1075
- 3 AA steers 570kg 1055
- 2 AA heifers 260kg 580
- 2 BB heifers 470kg 970
- 1 AA heifer 555kg 1085
