A one-in-a-million chance! Big surprise for Longford farmer

Lambing season brings with it many surprises in the agricultural maternity unit, but few as notable as the one experienced by Granard farmer John Kiernan whose ewe delivered quadruplets for the THIRD year in a row. 

It’s rare for a ewe to deliver four lambs, but for the same ewe to do it three years in a row is a statistical one-in-a-million occurrence. 

Speaking to the Longford Leader, John said what made the births even more unusual was the fact that all of the lambs survived each year.

“She actually rears them too!" says John. "Not a loss on her or her lambs. It’s pretty impressive that they've all survived." 

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“Edel Biggins from Browns Cross Veterinary Centre was the vet who delivered the quads. She’s actually an All Ireland winning footballer for Mayo."

He adds with a laugh, "One of the few things that was won for Mayo at an All Ireland level!” 

John continues, "Last year Dimitri, a Greek vet, made the delivery, and then the year before that, it was Celine the Belgian vet. They were all delighted with the deliveries as it’s not often they’d deliver 4 in one go."

"Kiernan Milling actually has a picture of them (last year’s quads) in their 2026 calendar for the month of March.”

Pic credit: John Kiernan 

While all 4 new arrivals are flourishing and in good health, there were initial concerns that one might not survive.

Thanks to the swift actions of vet, Edel Biggins, immediately following the birth, the same lamb is now thriving alongside his siblings. 

“The first one was nearly dead when Edel took him out" John recalls. "She was blowing into his nostrils. I was sure he was dead, but she kept giving him CPR on his heart and brought him back."

"She pulled out all the stops and he’s fine now. It’s the one you least expect that survives. The others were absolutely perfect thereafter as well. They’re all the same size now, there’s no runt of the litter.”

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Such is the rarity of this birth, it must surely be a record of some sort. John says that while he was expecting the ewe to have more than one lamb this year, he certainly wasn't expecting a repeat of the last two years.    

"I was expecting the ewe to have multiples but I didn't think she'd have four lambs again this year. Especially not three years on the trot!”