About Us

A member of the Shropshire Sheep Breeders Association, the Blackstairs flock was established in 2015 by Adrian & Andrea Norton on the foothills of the Blackstairs Mountains in Co. Carlow, Ireland. Faced with the dilemma of trying to maximise farm profits from marginal type land, Adrian & Andrea discovered the Shropshire Sheep and its unique properties on an episode of the BBCs Countryfile. Seeing the potential to increase the profit potential from their farm, Adrian & Andrea travelled to the UK to research the breed and imported their first ewes to Ireland in 2015.

Opting to plant a diverse mix of trees on the low lying marginal land, Adrian & Andrea created a farming enterprise that now produces a yield per acre, which far exceeds what could naturally be expected in this environment.

They have now developed a passion for this docile and hardy breed and are committed to the development of the breed in Ireland.