Meet the Family
The family behind Sperrin View
Grandfather David, Daughter Julie-Anne and Grandson Thomas
Red Ladies
19th August 2023
Herbie and Stephen Crawford, Maguiresbridge, sold two first prize winning heifers for 5,000gns each.
First to sell was the reserve senior champion Rathkeeland Twilight, who was snapped up by J Cairns from Broughshane. This seventeen-month-old was sired by Plumtree Fantastic, and is out of the Culnagechan Lazio daughter, Rathkeeland Phoenix. Picture: Agri-Images
Dungannon
October 13th 2020
The Abdereen-Angus breed society’s autumn sale, hosted by Dungannon Farmers Mart on 13th October 2020.
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In-calf heifers topped at 2,400gns, paid to Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Moneymore, for the June 2019 born Coltrim Evana V165. Sired by home-bred stock bull Coltrim Pon Dereplay T756, her dam is Coltrim Evana S653 – one of 36 cows in the herd. Due in May 2021, this heifer is in-calf to Coltrim Black Bando T874. Buyer was commercial suckler herd owner David Cairns who has established the Sperrin View Aberdeen-Angus Herd for his eight-month-old grandson Tommy."
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About us
A family rich in farming history
Sperrin View, surrounded by the scenic mountain range, is situated just outside Dungiven. The Cairns family moved to the family homestead in the Town-land of Rallagh in 1960 where they have farmed ever since.
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Originally the Cairns family had farmed in the Town-land of Mullaboy and Ervy Cross for centuries, with records dating back to the early 1700's, where the family ancestors have records in the Worshipful list of Grocers London, a union for reliable farmers to trade their agriculture produce.
However the original Cairns home farm was sold in favor for the current site. Albert Cairns took the initiative to look to the future, and moved to Rallagh with his wife May (born and bred Farmers daughter) and eldest son David in 1960, a second son was soon to follow when Kenneth was born. The farming family made the farm a hive of agricultural activity. Albert was the brains and was very forward thinking while his wife May was the backbone of the workforce. Together they made the dream team. In later years is was May who ran the farm under her husbands instruction before his death in 2003.
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The Cairns Family specialized in Arable (particularly potatoes), pigs (Large Whites), Sheep (Blue Leicester and Suffolks) and Beef Cattle (Herefords, Aberdeen Angus, Simmental and Sucklers).
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Kenneth who was a keen Hereford breeder (Sperrin View) took over the farm from his Dad with his mothers backing, and support from his big brother. David who specialises in engineering was on hand to work with the farm machinery while his brother Kenneth took to the livestock. David is a keen Aberdeen Angus breeder himself, married into a renowned Limousin breeding Family.
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David married Heather Clyde, daughter of Robert Clyde Templepatrick (Clyde Valley Limousins), and the two of them had a daughter Julie-Anne. Julie-Anne followed in the family footsteps and became a keen livestock woman. However as she grew up, it would be the Limousins that would win her favor.
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Julie-Anne went on to have a son, "Tommy" with fellow Limousin Breeder Stephen Crawford of Crawford Brothers. Needless to say that there is very strong farming credentials in Tommy's ancestry and heritage, Tommy is now the future of Sperrin View.
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Sperrin View is now farmed by David with support from his daughter Julie-Anne. It wont be long until Master Tommy will be the Manager of Operations but until that day, it is run and managed by his Grandfather David. Tommy has the legacy of his Great Grand parents, Great Uncle, Grandfather and Mother behind him in his future with Sperrin View.
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