Grianan Firecracker  (Pic 1) is this year the Irish Hereford Society’s nominee for the prestigious RDS Champion of Champions award.

The 2011 Male and Supreme Hereford Champion at the National Hereford show held at Tullamore Firecracker was also nominated for the award in 2008 the show year which culminated in his winning the Supreme Hereford Championship at the International Beef Expo at Kilkenny.

Purchased by Sean McKiernan, Corlismore House, Corlismore PO, Co Cavan as a ten month old calf from breeders Tom & Anselm Fitzgerald, Glebe House, Mount Temple, Moate, Co Westmeath he has been impressive throughout his career and his progeny now feature in the championship enclosure also. This year in addition to the Supreme Championship at the National Hereford Show Firecracker was also Champion at Arva and Strokestown. 

At Trim he was Reserve Supreme Champion to his daughter Corlismore Poll 1 Sydney 574 (Pic 2) who was a first prizewinner at Virginia, Strokestown and Tullamore where she was also National Reserve Female Champion. Following on her win as Supreme Champion at Royal Meath (Trim) in September she was awarded the Interbreed Championship.

 

Another daughter Corlismore Ursula 599 (Pic 3)was a first prizewinner at the National Hereford show and later awarded the National Heifer Calf Championship.

 

A further daughter Corlismore Poll 1 Sarah a second prizewinner at the National was a first prizewinner at Strokestown. Both these heifers were purchased at €4,000 each by Co Cork breeder Michael & Brian O’Keeffe, Gurteragh, Newmarket. A son Corlismore Poll 1 Statesman was Reserve Stanley McAdam Bull of the year at Royal Meath (Trim).

His sire is the five star Churchill Storm whose semen was imported from Australia via the Hereford Society's Breed Improvement Scheme. His progeny are amongst the most successful in both pedigree and commercial herds.

For any sire to express his full potential serious consideration needs to be given to the females he is mated to. In this instance the T& AFitzgerald bred Grianan Dominique from the very successful Orange family developed from the purchase of the Orange female line at RS Kenny's "Drumakeenan" herd dispersal is an excellent female from a prolific line. As a calf she was shown very successfully winning three Breed Championships, the National Heifer Calf Championship and eight first prizes. She was also shown as a two year old with Firecracker by her side winning 1^st prize Junior Cow and Reserve Overall Champion at the National show, all this while carrying twin heifers that are now an established part of the Grianan herd. She has since proved to be a very productive donor cow and is easily the most impressive cow in the herd.