EXCITEMENT is building in Ireland as the annual National Ploughing Championships return this month.
The event, which take place in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, kick off next Tuesday, September 16 and run until September 18.
Prize-winning animals, tractors, sheep, ponies, brown bread bakers, musicians and crafters are among the attractions set to take place across the event which is organised annually by the National Ploughing Association (NPA).
“Preparations are in full swing as this green field transforms into the bustling hub of the National Ploughing Championships,” NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said while visiting the site in Screggan said earlier this month.
“Just weeks ago, it was open countryside, now it’s set to welcome hundreds of thousands,” she added.
“The Ploughing showcases the very best of Ireland, uniting rural and urban communities for three days of country living, innovation, and enterprise,” Ms McHugh explained.
“It’s always a race against the clock, but the result is a one-of-a-kind celebration.”
There will be millions of euros worth of agricultural and plant machinery on display during the annual event.
There will be a ‘Machine of the Year’ competition during the festival, as well as a range of livestock competitions.
There are more than 100 entries in the Irish Aberdeen-Angus Association All Ireland Finals, The Shorthorn Calf Competition and the Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition, the organises have confirmed.
“Visitors will not only have the chance to admire the exceptional quality of animals on display but also to gain insights into livestock management, genetics, nutrition, and animal healthcare,” they add.
Ireland’s Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht have confirmed that their presence at the event will be centred on promoting the Irish language.
The department, led by Minister Dara Calleary, will host an exhibit titled ‘Our Rural Future – Supporting Communities and Our Language’.
It will welcome visitors to borrow books from their mobile library, join coding workshops and discover how towns got their official Irish names.
It will also provide life-saving CPR skills and allow those brave enough to practice their skills on an eight-metre outdoor climbing wall.
“There are so many things to do and see at the National Ploughing Championships and we have an exciting exhibit lined up this year,” Minister Calleary said.
“The event is great opportunity for people to find out how they can get involved with their community or about the many investments and funding programmes my Department delivers to support rural areas.”
He added: “I look forward to welcoming visitors to our marquee and visiting many of the other stands in the exhibition space. The Ploughing match is a great opportunity for us to celebrate rural Ireland and our culture.”