TheJournal.ie / YouTube

Subscribe on YouTube

IT’S NOT THE sort of place you’d generally expect to experience enemy fire, but we almost felt like we had bullets flying past our ears, earlier this week at the Ploughing Championships.

The staff of the Defence Forces were more than keen to let us have a go of their Oculus Rift training system – which, as Captain John Forde explained, “replicates hostile scenarios” Irish troops may have faced in previous missions.

As you can see from the clip, we barely made it out in one piece. Who knew Offaly could be this dangerous?

- Video and camerawork by Nicky Ryan

Read: We asked a Tractor Football referee to explain Tractor Football >

More: How Marty Morrissey and his cardboard cut-out own the Ploughing >

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More

This is what it's like to be an Irish soldier... in virtual reality

Read: We asked a Tractor Football referee to explain Tractor Football >

More: How Marty Morrissey and his cardboard cut-out own the Ploughing >

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.