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01 Nov 2025
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01 Nov 2025
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Bulls on sale at Ballinakill Mart. Photo: Ballinakill Mart
A busy agricultural mart in Laois has now been sold.
Ballinakill Livestock Mart, one of the largest in Leinster and the only mart currently operating in Laois, has been bought up by the owner of Carnaross Mart in Meath.
The mart which is on the edge of Ballinakill village, is in operation for nearly 40 years and has an annual throughput in excess of 22,000 head of livestock.
It was sold as a going concern.
It has a team of staff based at Ballinkill, and holds weekly auctions in two rings every Saturday, they say with leading European Exporters and Northern Ireland buyers in attendance.
The new owner James Mallon confirmed the deal in an interview with Agriland on Friday, May 3.
"The new owner of the mart venue confirmed the purchase and outlined his plans for the continuation of weekly livestock sales at the mart venue and to further grow and develop livestock sales at Ballinakill Mart.
"There had been significant speculation over the past number of months that the mart was to be sold and that Mallon, the owner of Carnaross Mart, was interested in the purchase.
"The new owner of the mart is confident it can develop and grow as a venue for buying and selling livestock.
"He also confirmed that plans are now in place to facilitate livestock customers from Northern Ireland at the mart by facilitating export testing and clearance of livestock.
It is to continue to operate under the trading name ‘Ballinakill Mart’ and to use the online MartEye app.
A second Laois mart is expected to reopen in July, thanks to a local campaign to get it going again. Mountrath Mart closed in 2019 due to high running costs.
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