Ah brilliant, the Ploughing is back?
’Tis indeed. The National Ploughing Championships – to give it its more formal title – celebrates its 94th birthday in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, from Tuesday to Thursday.
And will it attract many people?
Are you joking? The ploughing is not just popular, it is one of the biggest outdoor events in Europe and will attract more than 80,000 people on each of the three days.
That makes it bigger than the Oasis concert series that rolled with it into Dublin this summer, or three All-Ireland football or hurling finals.
The quarter of a million people who will attend before the curtain comes down on Thursday ensures it leaves piddling little events like the Electric Picnic or All Together Now in the ha’penny place.
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And all of these people come to watch ploughing?
Ah here! The ploughing is about way more than simple ploughing. There will be welly-throwing competitions. There are hurdy-gurdys and fancy food stalls as well as music, dancing, fashion, sheepshearing, threshing, baking, folk selling all manner of cutting-edge farm equipment and as many as 2,000 stalls and tents hosting pop-up shops and talks and demos.
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The Livestock section will be a big highlight, with more than 100 entries in the Irish Aberdeen-Angus Association All-Ireland finals, The Shorthorn calf competition and the Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition, as well as many other breeds on display and 12 sheep breeds being exhibited this year.
There is ploughing as well though?
Yes. Over 300 contestants will compete in more than two dozen national competitions from 10.30am to 2.30pm each day, with participants ranging from high-tech reversible ploughs to more old-school horse-drawn ploughs.
Is it a big site?
Oh yes, it is only massive. Here is a map of the National Ploughing Championships site to help you get around.
And is it free?
It is not free. Tickets can be bought in advance for each of the days online – €25 for adults and €20 for senior citizens, large groups and secondary school students. Children under the age of 12 go free, but must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets can also be bought at the gate, presuming they don’t sell out, although they will cost €30.
And how is the weather looking?
Um. Not brilliant, according to Met Éireann. Tuesday will start dry and bright but cloud will build from the southwest through the morning, with outbreaks of rain spreading north-eastward through the afternoon and evening, turning heavy at times, particularly in the southwest.
It will be dry and blustery on Wednesday while Thursday will start with outbreaks of rain in the south which are likely to persist for much of the day. Temperatures will struggle to get to about 17 degrees on any of the days.
I’ll bring me coat and wellies so. But How will I get there?
If you drive there will be some delays. The Garda has a detailed traffic plan with colour-coded routes guiding people in from some distance. The site will also be serviced by hundreds of shuttle buses from nearby transport hubs, while private coach operators will take people to and from the site every day. All traffic management, programme and tickets details can be found on the official NPA site.
Gardaí are also urging road users not attending the National Ploughing Championships to avoid the N52 between Tullamore and Birr.
Road users are also asked to avoid all approach roads to Mucklagh village and the event site at Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, from 6am on Tuesday, September 16th to 8pm on Thursday, September 18th.
Sure I’ll just map the route on my phone ...
Do not do that, whatever you do. Gardaí have said that it is essential that drivers don’t use the likes of Google Maps or Apple Maps close to the event site as they may not have the up-to-date information on the specific traffic diversions that are in place.
