The mighty quins: Cork farmer welcomes 'one-in-a-million' lamb quintuplets

Amid an unseasonably wet March, Pat Cooney felt 'incredibly lucky' to witness the rare quintuple birth of lambs on his farm

A delighted Pat Cooney with the 'one-in-a-million' lamb quintuplets born on his farm near Minane Bridge in County Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan

A Cork farmer has witnessed a "one in a million" occurrence when a quintuplet of lambs was born on his farm near Minane Bridge in Co Cork. 

Pat Cooney witnessed the rare event on March 23, saying that he feels incredibly lucky to have been there for the event. 

“I was delighted and elated because I’ve never had the like before in about 50 years of keeping sheep,” says Mr Cooney, who has a flock of 75 sheep.

He told the Irish Examiner that the birth of quadruplet lambs can occur now and again but that having five lambs from the same ewe is a "one in a million chance".

Pat Cooney, his daughter Niamh, and 10-week-old granddaughter Croía Mae,  with the quintuplet lambs and the ewe that birthed the five lambs on March 23. Picture: Dan Linehan

“I felt privileged that before I might retire, I had one [a set of quintuplets],” he added.

The lambs began to arrive shortly after 9pm on March 23 and came at an “unmerciful rate,” according to Mr Cooney.

With so many new mouths to feed, some of the lambs would not have survived if the farmer had not stopped to check in on the ewe when he did. 

Mr Cooney explained that it is vital that lambs receive their first milk within two hours of being born.

Once the lambs had been born safely, Mr Cooney was able to intervene with a ewe milk substitute to ensure the newborns received the nutrition they required.

Pat Cooney holds his granddaughter Croía Mae while his daughter Niamh and neighbours Esther and Betsy Ahern hold the five lambs birthed on March 23. Picture: Dan Linehan

Following the birth, the lambs' mother was unwell. "After having five of them — it was some ordeal," said Mr Cooney.  

Thankfully, she has now recovered and is doing well, he added.

When he sent a photo of the lambs to his wife and daughter, he said: “The first reaction they had was that 'he should’ve done the Lotto'.” 

This incredible event comes after a challenging March for farmers. 

Famous five: Quadruplets can happen now and again, but having five lambs from the same ewe is a 'one in a million chance'. Picture: Dan Linehan

“Weather in the month of March was terrible,” he said, explaining that “we had nearly two and a half times the normal amount of rainfall that you would expect”.  

“March was very difficult for everybody,” he added, saying that animals had to be kept indoors during lambing season because of the rain, leading to extra cost for farmers.

Data released by Met Éireann this week found that, provisionally, last month was "the wettest March on record in Ireland".

However, after the birth of his 'one-in-a-million' quintuplet lambs, Mr Cooney said that he is not complaining.