Bruces Hill Cattle Company (the true story)
In 1315, Edward Bruce brother of Robert the Bruce came to Ireland at the request of the Irish Lords and on 10 September, at the Battle of Tawnybrack, close to Kells, Ballymena, Edward conquered the army of Richard De Burgo, the Norman Earl of Ulster.
The maps of the area still recognise this battle near Ballymena to this day detailing Bruces Hill and the Hospital Lane where the wounded were reputed to have been laid after the battle. The name of the company producing our locally reared cattle for Montgomerys Foodhall is taken from Bruces Hill which is part of Edenvale Farm near Kells Montgomerys who for generations have resided in the area are delighted to be part of the Bruces Hill Cattle Company which brings to our Foodhall the highest quality locally produced Aberdeen Angus and Dexter meat.The Edenvale Angus herd contains some of some of the best Angus cattle in Ireland with prize winning stock bulls and cows sourced in recent years from many of the top herds in Scotland and Ireland. Not only is the breeding of our cattle important to us but also their welfare, as we believe good animal husbandry is critical to the production of top quality beef. The Edenvale Farm near Kells has the only roundhouse for wintering cattle in Northern Ireland. This unique concept takes the traditional idea of round buildings dating back to the Bronze Age and brings the concept up to date making full use of the natural aspects that encouraged such design. Movement of livestock inside the roundhouse building is virtually stress free adding considerably to the quality of the meat produced. The cattle can see each other at all times creating a very calm and relaxed environment. The central opening in the roof ensures a continuous updraught of air working in a similar way to a very large chimney and combined with the latest cattle handling design concepts creates an environment for content and healthy cattle.
The Bruces Hill Cattle Company also runs the Ballyhartfield Dexter herd. This prize winning herd has produced the top quality meat used in many of the top UK restaurants in recent years and is part of a major Northern Ireland export success story. The Dexter cattle are kept in their natural hill farm environment at Glenwherry for most of the year before wintering at Kells and Templepatrick. The Ballyhartfield herd is probably the largest in Ireland thus ensuring a steady source of this gourmet meat for our Montgomerys Foodhall customers.
Mongomerys Foodhall are delighted to bring our customers great meat from Bruces Hill Cattle Company, sourced locally to the highest standards.
Bruces Hill Cattle Company (the alternative version)
In 1315, Edward Bruce brother of Robert the Bruce came to Ireland at the request of the Irish Lords. On 10 September 1315, at the Battle of Tawnybrack, close to Kells and Connor, Ballymena ), Edward conquered the army of Richard De Burgo, the Norman Earl of Ulster. The maps of the area still recognise this battle near Ballymena to this day with Bruces Hill and the Hospital Lane where the wounded were reputed to have been laid after the battle. The story of the Bruces is well known, particularly that of Robert the Bruce and the spider which took place in Rathlin Island just off the coast of County Antrim. Also well recognised is the fact that many of the battles fought by the Bruces and Scots armies concerned the need for cattle. As Barbour the Archdeacon of Aberdeen and Scottish poet said of Bruce at Bannockburn
His men were rich, and his country
Abounded well with corn and cattle,
After the Battle of Tawnybrack as was usual in the aftermath of such a fight some of the cattle associated with the army was displaced. We would suggest that these lost "black Scots cattle" became the foundation of the Edenvale Aberdeen Angus who now reside in winter in a cattle round house at Edenvale Fram overlooking the battle of Tawnybrack. They feel at home in the accommodation not dissimilar to that favoured in those ancient times. As Rabbie Burns put it
List'ning the doors an' winnocks rattle,
I thought me on the ourie cattle,
After the battle of Tawneybrack, Edward the Bruce made his way further south and at Kells, County Meath he fought another battle against the Normans from Dublin. He was defeated by his own Father-in-law and died in this battle of Kells. Again the black cattle of the army "got dispersed", and we believe could have become the foundation for the Dexter cattle breed in Ireland. Co-incidentally the only other cattle round house in Ireland is in Kells County Meath overlooking the final battle ground of Edward the Bruce.
So the Bruces Hill Cattle Company is so named not only because our cattle graze on Bruces Hill at Edenvale Farm, but because our cattle can "perhaps" be traced back to the Bruces in Ireland?
Montgomerys Foodhall - brings quality meat with history!.