An Irish heritage worth saving
Irish Moiled cattle have a colourful and remarkable history. They were farmed by the Ancient Celts, stolen by Vikings and very nearly forgotten altogether.
A prehistoric treasure
Irish Moiled cattle are a living relic of ancient Ireland, with deep roots stretching back centuries to the Iron Age. They are the only surviving native cattle breed of Northern Ireland, making them a vital link to our agricultural past.
The breed appears in early Irish sources, with references to “Moile” cattle found in epic Iron Age stories. Archaeological evidence supports these accounts, with cattle skulls discovered at ancient Celtic sites across the island. Their value was such that Viking raiders are recorded as abducting Irish Moiled herds in vast numbers — so many, in fact, that at one point there were reportedly none left in the entire County Antrim.
From commonplace to critical
Historically, Irish Moiled cattle were a hardy, dual-purpose breed, prized for both good-quality milk and flavourful beef. They were once common across Ireland, well suited to marginal land and traditional farming systems.
However, from the 1950s onwards, the breed was gradually displaced by larger continental cattle breeds, better suited to industrialised farming. Numbers declined rapidly.
By 1979, the situation had become so severe that the Rare Breeds Survival Trust classified the Irish Moiled as critically endangered. Although dedicated conservation efforts have since helped stabilise the breed, it remains officially listed as ‘at risk’ today.
A breed that endures
Despite decades of decline and many challenges, the Irish Moiled has endured — becoming a powerful symbol of resilience, heritage, and survival.
Today, there are approximately 1,500 breeding females, a figure that underlines both how far the breed has come and how important continued conservation remains. Protecting the Irish Moiled is about more than preserving a cattle breed; it is about safeguarding a living piece of Irish history for future generations.