THE TAOISEACH WAS joined by 57,000 people at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois today, bringing to 228,000 the total who attended the festival in the last three days.

That number is a record for the championships, which also announced that it will be returning to the site outside Stradbally next year.

Managing Director of the Irish Ploughing Association Anna May McHugh said that the event had delighted farmers, ploughers and locals alike.

“We are delighted to be staging the event here again next year. Feedback from landowners, the local community and the wider public has been very positive and all were enthusiastic to see a return.

“Speaking also with many of the exhibitors and visitors over the past few days, all were very vocal about their wishes to have it staged here again.”

McHugh said that the ease of access made the site a popular one.

I think the site has proved very popular for several reasons including its central location and surrounding road & rail network. By and large most people have been travelling to and from the site with relative ease and the minimum of traffic delays.

Of course, there was a competition taking place and John Whelan of Wexford and Eamon Treacy of Carlow will represent Ireland at the World Championships in France next September. Whelan won the Reversible class and Treacy picked up the prize in the conventional class.

Read: Day two of ploughing championships breaks records

PICS: Enda Kenny did some ploughing in Laois today

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