soay sheep

staghunter

have any of you ever heard of soay sheep.i know there hunted in scotland and england but i was just wondering is there any population in ireland.

bazza888

people farm them here iv never heard abot a wild population here,as you said in scotland on the islands around the coast they began breeding after being left behind by inhabitants that abandoned the islands.the meats ment to be very nice like venison,my mate has one with his sheep you dont have to sheer them and if you have a group of them they wont heard like normal sheep they all go different directions

MacraPat

I'm almost certain I read about Mouflon being released into Connemara at one point early on last century. I could be mistaken.

Birdnuts

staghunter wrote: »

have any of you ever heard of soay sheep.i know there hunted in scotland and england but i was just wondering is there any population in ireland.

I have heard they are culled on some Scottish offshore islands - not sure though if its ordinary hunters who do this or government people.

bazza888

there was a write up in sporting rifle about it 2or3 months ago,people pay to shoot them

doodlesack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2056386095/soay-sheep

I have Soays for 20 years. I'm in Donegal and may have some available next May. They are the ancient natural breed of the British Isles including Ireland. They were only given the modern name of "Soay" because that was the last refuge of them before they nearly became extinct, or so they thought, although since then small groups have turned up in other parts of Britain and Ireland from an earlier date. They are the easiest sheep to keep although you need better fencing than standard sheep wire as they are smaller than modern breeds. Apart from that they don't need shearing, don't need their tails docked, don't suffer from foot rot, birth easy and by themselves, will do less damage to the ground and are happier on rough grazing than modern breeds. Hope that helps.

Sika98k

“Colorado Buck”. Features in some online video, YouTube ? Stalking Soay sheep in Kerry. Personally I pi###d myself laughing at the video. I imagine his ghillie enjoyed buying one at the local mart and then popping it out on the hillside a day before the”hunt”. Or there’s a very angry sheep farmer in Kerry.

kunekunesika

Thought it was a piss take. Largest specimens ever?? Hard to predict where you will see them? Usually an Ivor Williams trailer nearby😂 but the American was over the moon

Grizzly 45

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/74360182#Comment_74360182

Didn't realise Connemara had Alpine mountains over 2000meters.As that's what those boyos need as natural habitat.🤣

Maybe this is getting mixed up with the Lissadell house roe deer one county over in Sligo?

doodlesack

Soay sheep are native to the so called British isles. They only got the name "Soay" because that was presumed many decades ago to be where they originated and where the last were found. Since then a few herds have been found that predate that period, one in Wales if I remember, a couple in England and one in Ireland....maybe more. My own flock has been in our family for well over a hundred and fifty years in Ireland. The Natural History Museum in Dublin even have a skeleton from centuries ago which match up with these modern sheep. Because of all this, a group in Wales started renaming them about twenty years ago as Celtic Isles sheep....a more accurate name.