Irish Simmental Yearbook 2026 - Flipbook - Page 12
Simmental Hall of Fame
2024
Raymond O’Malley
– Lanmor Simmentals
Raymond O`Malley from Ardee, Co. Louth established the
renowned Lanmor Herd in 1974 with the importation of eight
Pedigree Simmental heifers from Austria. Raymond along with
other pioneering beef farmers were very aware of the direction
the Irish Suckler herd needed to move. They set about visiting
Austria and Switzerland to select the best females possible to
allow the Simmental breed to establish itself in Ireland. The result
of this work is that Ireland is now a World Leader in Simmental
genetics.
The Lanmor Pedigree Simmental Herd continues to be run in conjunction with a Suckler Herd in
Ardee Co. Louth where currently over 100 Simmental Cows are all crossed back to Simmental
Bulls. In recent years Raymond has become a keen advocate for the benefits of quality polled
Simmental cattle, and this has resulted in Raymond importing a number of bulls and cows from
both Denmark and the UK. Raymond sees the quality and beefing ability of these polled offspring
equal in every aspect, weight gain, milk, docility, fertility as horned Simmentals and sees a market
niche for polled Simmental.
Raymond played an integral part in the establishment of the Irish Simmental Cattle Society in the
early 1970’s & 80’s and continues to this day to be actively involved in the affairs of the Society.
Raymond held the position of Society President from 1985 to 1991, a period that saw major
growth in the breed in Ireland. He was involved in enabling the six regional clubs to establish
their own Club Championships as well as providing media training for the clubs. Raymond was
also instrumental in the setting up of the Simmental X Breeding competition which he also won
on two occasions at Virginia Show. A fact Raymond often highlights is that the average price for
Simmental Bulls in 1985 was £800 and this had risen to £2000 by 1987.
Another milestone for the Lanmor Herd was when the World Congress visited Ireland in 2000.
Over 650 guests were treated to a fabulous display of Simmental cattle and needless to say did
not go away hungry or thirsty. Raymond also hosted many other open days and farm walks
throughout the years.
The Lanmor Herd was very prominent on the Show Circuit in the 1990’s with many successes
recorded in the RDS Show when it was the key agricultural event in Ireland. The Lanmor herd had
the honour of wining the Supreme Simmental Championship at the RDS in 1990 and went one
better in winning the Interbreed Championship with herd sire Mountroyal Western. The Lanmor
herd exhibited at all the shows in the Nort East region in the early 90’s and in fact Raymonds last
show to exhibit at, was Dundalk Show in 1993 when again he won the Simmental & Interbreed
titles with a homebred cow Lanmor Ashling. Ashling was a three year old Anatrim Ted cow, who in
turn was out of a Creemore Pirate dam, Lanmor Victoria.
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