In February 2017, the one in a billion birth of four identical quad heifers on the Clair farm in Maghera, Lahinch received national coverage and now two of the foursome are expecting twins.
Rosie, Fluffie, Mia and Jenny are now two years old, their mother Bawny a Hereford cross this month gave birth to twins. Bawny has now had 15 calves in 11 years and despite farming for over 70 years, Tom Clair has never seen her likes before.
โBy God sheโs one of the best, itโs often three of them wouldnโt produce 15 calves in their lifetime,โ he told The Clare Echo. โI figured she was carrying the twins this year,โ he said, two years ago Tom made a similar prediction but received a most pleasant surprise when not one but two extra additions arrived in what geneticists have classed a one in a billion birth with previous incidences at Norfolk (2004) and Texas (2015).
This time round, Tom didnโt expect any surprises, โI didnโt but you could expect anything out of that ladyโ. He added, โAnyone can have twins, a lot of them have twins but itโs the fact the quads are gone in calving and carrying twins is whatโs making it special againโ.
โThe quads are gone in calving and there are two of them carrying twins, they are due to calve in September or October, it will be all go again,โ Tom predicted. โThey made mighty news that time,โ he recalled of their birth and how camera crews from all over Ireland travelled to their farm outside Ennistymon, โthey never looked backโ he said of the heifers.
Labelled as Irelandโs happiest and proudest farmer at the time, Clair was nonplussed with what others thought but admitted to really enjoying the subsequent All-Ireland Ploughing Championships. โThe week of the ploughing was the highlight of it all. All the people that went through to the stand to see them for the three days, you couldnโt put a figure on itโ.