New President

The newly elected President of the Society for the year ahead is On 1 st of July Mr Michael Molloy owner of the well known Moyclare Herd, The Glebe, Belmont , Co, Offaly takes up his position as President of the Irish Hereford Breed Society.

Currently a member of the Society's Council and Breed Improvement sub-committee he is also a director of Irish Hereford Prime Ltd. A member of the Society's judging panel he has represented the Society on semen procurement missions in Australia and the UK . A believer in linear scoring he is of the opinion that increased uptake by Hereford breeders can provide long term benefits for the breed.

Michael is confident that the breed can absorb current feed cost increases and still provide a profit for producers most especially those who supply the award winning Hereford Prime now available through Superquinn. This and other certified Hereford beef schemes have shown a capacity to grow quickly at home and on the international market providing a premium price to producers for a premium product

The Moyclare herd was founded by his late father Michael Joe in 1952 with the purchase of Blondie 2 nd a heifer by Cloverhill Steadfast from his neighbour James Molloy. The first bull calf born was Glebe Prince by Kilgarvan King. Over the years a top Hereford bull has always stood at Moyclare. These included the Department of Agriculture leased bull Paddock Vulcan Sire of Keel Jester the R.D.S. bull show champion in 1970, Churchtown Referee purchased at the R.D.S. sire of Ballinara Major. One of several Referee sons sold into AI he fetched the princely sum of 800gns. in 1966. More recently the herd has had some considerable success at Tullamore taking the Supreme Championship and National Bull Calf Championship in 2003 with Moyclare Bob and the National Bull Calf Championship in 1998 with Moyclare Robert later Champion at Roscommon the following spring.

Moyclare Anthony was Supreme Champion at the final R.D.S. Spring Show held at the Goff's Complex in 2002. The herd has also secured Championships at the Hereford Society's Premier Spring and Autumn Sales in 2004 at Roscommon with Moyclare Bill and Moyclare Bishop and at Kilkenny the same year with Moyclare Britisher and most recently with Moyclare Fort (see photo) by Yarram Pompeii V055 Champion at the Society's Premier Spring sale at Roscommon in March 2008.

Dairygold A.I. purchased a top performer at Tully bull performance Test Station Moyclare King.

Possibly one of the best breeding pulls produced in the herd Moyclare Rich was retained in the herd as stock sire having been Champion at Kilkenny Premier bull sale where he failed to reach his reserve. Rich has to be one of the most successful Hereford bulls of recent times having produced a string of prize winners and top prices for the herd and for many other herds which had the opportunity to use him through Natural Service in the years following.

The new Vice President of the Society is Mr Coote Geelan, Cloonagheer, Bornacoola, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co, Leitrim.