A commitment to quality underpins the role of the mart, while it’s also a social hub and a key employer
Roscommon Mart, located on Circular Road, Roscommon, has been a sales venue and meeting place for farmers for 66 years.
The mart has not only hosted livestock trading but also facilitated conversation and camaraderie within the farming community.
Tony Conry, Manager of Roscommon Mart, reflected on the current vibrancy of the market when he spoke to the Roscommon People this week.
“This is a very busy time of year. The price(s) of cattle and sheep at the moment are very good, so farmers are getting a just reward for producing their cattle and sheep. It’s developed as a good year for farmers, and farmers seem to be happier and more content.”
Although it is generally an active time of year, Tony noted the significant uptick in activity, stating, “All our numbers and metrics are up this year, thank God.”
Despite a 3.9% national decline in the cattle herd, Roscommon Mart remains resilient, with strong returns for livestock and a positive business outlook. The mart’s continued recent success, particularly in trading weanlings and heifers, is evident in a robust show and sale featuring 600 calves, alongside regular sales of bullocks and heifers every second Friday, drawing around 500 cattle each time, and weekly lamb and cast ewe sales every Wednesday.
Reflecting on the broader impact, Tony emphasises the mart’s role in restoring confidence in the suckler industry: “Farmers weren’t getting the just rewards for the animals they’re producing. With the change in business in the last twelve to eighteen months, farmers in Roscommon and the West of Ireland have a renewed sense of confidence.”
He observes that more farmers are now “holding onto their cows and breeding a few more calves, which will hold our numbers going into the future.”
Quality assurance underpins the mart’s operations, with all livestock certified through Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture’s blue-card system. Tony explains, “Naturally, the higher the standard within the farming community would be the farmers who are registered, quality assured, as there’s certain farmers and breeders who will only buy from quality assured sources – it can be the difference between 20c or 30c/kilo in relation to some animals.” This commitment to quality strengthens the mart’s reputation and ensures better returns for farmers.
The advent of online platforms like MartEye has revolutionised accessibility, particularly for part-time farmers. Tony describes it as “a game-changer for all marts – the ability to log on and purchase your animals online.” This increased buyer access, he notes, “creates a little more competition, and naturally more competition is healthy for the industry.”
The mart’s embrace of online sales ensures swift and secure transactions, with payments made within three to five working days and prices locked in at the hammer’s fall – guaranteed.
Beyond commerce, Roscommon Mart is a vital employer and community anchor, supporting six full-time and 20 part-time staff, alongside indirectly sustaining hundreds of local jobs. Its weekly sales schedule – running Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays – keeps the mart lively with activity. Yet, its significance extends beyond economics.
“We have a canteen here, and some of our senior farmers would come in on a sales day to chat and have a cup of tea,” Tony shares. For younger farmers, the mart is a learning hub where they can “engage and talk to people, see what they’re doing, and pick up ideas.”
Highlighting the social value the mart brings, Tony says: “It’s a social outing, and we feel that’s very important, and we’d like to continue that for as long as we possibly can.”
