LAST UPDATE | 19 Sep 2023

IT HAS BEEN a wet, windy and muddy first day at the National Ploughing Championships. 

The annual event is being held at Ratheniska, Co Laois, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to pass through the gates.

Thousands of farmers and families are braving damp and windy weather today for the major showcase of farming and rural life.

But things got off to a mucky start, with wind and rain battering and attendees all morning. A number of videos and photos posted on X, formerly Twitter, show large muddy puddles and heavy rain.

Loving life, loving the weather #Ploughing2023 pic.twitter.com/C1KkiqvmhL

— Amy Molloy (@AmyMolloyIndo) September 19, 2023

People wrapped in raincoats and ponchos plodded through more than 1,000 stalls selling farming equipment and exhibiting techniques on the first day of the agricultural event.

However, as the poor conditions continued throughout the day, it landed some people in sticky situations. In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, it shows one car completely stuck in the mud.

Ah yes things are getting tricky here #Ploughing2023 pic.twitter.com/YoY98XTNhU

— Niall Carson (@niallcarsonpa) September 19, 2023

More images, circulated on social media, show hundreds of people traunching through wet and mucky conditions as they walk through the festival.

A video, posted by Farming Independent on X, shows groups of people in wet gear, boots, and rain jackets, some equipped with umbrellas, attempting to traverse the unpleasant and wet conditions.

#Ploughing2023 pic.twitter.com/Bo8VQhpuxQ

— Farming Independent (@Farming_Indo) September 19, 2023

The show must go on however, and as the first day opened, over 320 competitors got ready to plough through the over 200 acres of land on which the event is hosted on in Laois.

Sheep shearing and a “country style best” fashion show will also feature during the event, as well as an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for welly throwing.

Niall Carson / PA Niall Carson / PA / PA

Weather

The current Met Éireann forecast for Leinster predicts a windy and mostly cloudy today with outbreaks of rain and drizzle, with drier weather expected later this afternoon.

Tonight will be wet and windy with further outbreaks of rain, which will be heavy at times and may lead to localised flooding. There is also the chance of some thunder.

Tomorrow will be a mix of sunny spells and sometimes heavy showers, with more settled weather for Thursday.

Meanwhile, there are is a yellow rain warning for all of Connacht and Cavan, Donegal, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary kicking in at 5pm this evening. The warning is due to last until tomorrow at 6pm, with heavy spells of rain expected.

Politicians out and about

Politicians are also out and about to show their commitment to rural and farming life, with political parties having set up stalls and ministers holding several events throughout Tuesday.

The event comes as political pressure is put on Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue over an EU request that Ireland reduce the volume of nitrogen it produces per hectare.

Farmers held protests at Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s respective think-in events last week, insisting the cut in the nitrate limit would force them to reduce herd sizes.

Minister McConalogue pictured today at the Ploughing. PA PA

Higgins speech

President Michael D Higgins was also present at the Ploughing today, and he gave a speech highlighting to importance of farming to Irish life and the importance of working together to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.

“Over the next three days, we will have the chance to take part in this celebration of Irish rural life in the fullest sense, to connect with those close to nature, who care for it, opportunities too to explore the advice and innovations on offer for the achievement of the ecological, social and economic goals to which we are committed,” he said.

With reporting from Press Association