Massive crowds set to arrive for Ploughing

By Rebekah O'Reilly

The National Ploughing Championships will return to Screggan next week, and organisers are reporting strong ticket sales with around 1,500 exhibitors expected to take part.

The three-day event will run from next Tuesday to Thursday, September 15 to 17, with final preparations now well underway at the site outside Tullamore.

Last year crowds totalling some 225,000 descended on Offaly for the three days of Europe's largest agricultural event, and hopes are high that similar numbers will be seen next week.

The National Ploughing Association's Assistant Managing Director Anna Marie McHugh said the organisers would be delighted to see the number of attendees remain at its usual strong level.

“The event is a very big event as it stands. It will be great if it’s as big an event as we usually have. We’d be very happy with that,” she said. Ms McHugh said attendance can fluctuate from year to year, with weather a factor.

conditions and location, but organisers are hoping for a strong turnout, particularly for exhibitors.

Ticket sales have been “really good” and are running on a par with previous years, according to Ms McHugh.

“The last 10 days here with ticket sales have been crazy. The office is really, really busy all day, every day,” she said.

Weather conditions have also helped preparations at the Screggan site, with some recent rain softening the ground while conditions underfoot remain relatively dry.

“The weather has made a huge difference,” Ms McHugh said. “The team on site are really happy with preparations. We’ve done all our site preparations. It’s really the exhibitors coming in now.”

The final touches are now being made ahead of the opening, with exhibitors moving their products into position and large machinery coming on site.

Around 1,500 exhibitors are expected to participate, spanning indoor and outdoor displays, while the organisers are particularly pleased with the return of the car sector, which Ms McHugh said is bigger than last year after taking a hit following Covid.

Livestock will also be a major feature, with a variety of breeds expected to be represented. A new 'machinery gallery' is also being introduced this year. Ms McHugh said the initiative had generated significant interest and could grow in future.

“The cost for companies being able to go for three days to an event, take staff, and then pay for accommodation is premium, whereas with the machinery gallery they can come, put an item on display, and put a barcode or QR code on it for information.

“It’s another option for exhibitors that we’ve introduced, and we’re really happy about that.”

The championships will also attract significant media interest, including international media, with a number of television programmes planning coverage from the event, while RTÉ 2FM and RTÉ Radio 1 will broadcast live from Screggan throughout the three-day championships.

Ms McHugh said the event provides an important opportunity to showcase Irish businesses, particularly smaller companies participating through enterprise and Midlands-focused stands.

There will also, of course, be a major emphasis on the ploughing competitions, with entries reaching approximately 375 to 380 across the various competitions.

This year will see international competitions involving England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including an international vintage competition as part of the 'Five Nations' entry.

Novice competitions will also take place, although demand means numbers have to be limited.

“It's invite-only. It would be like a mini All-Ireland if you allowed everyone to take part,” Ms McHugh said.

Traffic management will once again be a key issue for those travelling to Screggan, with organisers urging motorists to follow the official routes and directional signage.

More than 1,000 roadside signs will be in place, alongside variable message signs, while around 300 Gardaí are expected to be on duty during the event.

Ms McHugh’s main message to motorists is simple: “Turn off the sat-navs and just follow the directional signage.”

With preparations running ahead of schedule, organisers are now looking forward to opening the gates on Tuesday morning for what is expected to be another major year in Screggan.