There are few prizes as coveted at the National Ploughing Championships than the winner of the best brown bread.
The prize reflects the prestige of the competition – €5,000 and a Neff ‘slide and hide’ oven worth €2,000 – much sought after as the oven of choice in the Great British Bake-Off competition.
For some past winners the impact has been life-changing as they have been able to secure contracts for their recipe with major supermarket chains.
The competition is organised by the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA). From 400 entrants across Ireland and an elimination process at county and national level, eight bakers made it to the semi-final and four to the final, all first-time entrants.
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Maureen Igoe from Bonniconlon, Co Mayo; Kathy Bolger from Wexford; Áine Cotter, a maths teacher and mother of four from Dunmanway, Co Cork; and Pauline Browne, a marketeer and businesswoman from West Cork Silver baked off for the big prize.
It was standing room only in the ICA tent for the final announcement, made, as it is every year, by the matriarch of the National Ploughing Championships, Anna May McHugh.
Ms Igoe was declared the winner. The widowed mother of eight and grandmother of 25 made hers with Guinness – “the real stuff, not the Zero Zero” – and treacle, but without milk.
She has been making it for years and her children and grandchildren love it. “I’m on cloud nine. I’ll burst into tears when everybody is gone. It’s not going to change my life. If I was 40, perhaps.”
She is going to take a holiday with “more luxury than we normally have” and she had a big birthday recently. “I’m not going to tell you what it is.”
No National Ploughing Championships would be complete without the All-Ireland welly-throwing competition, similar to the shot putt with a cage and running commentary.
The event raises money for Sosad Ireland, which provides low-cost online counselling from six offices.
“We are 100 per cent reliant on community donations,” said Shirley McKay. “Events like today are absolutely integral to our fundraising. Last year we raised €8,000 for our services.”
An Garda Síochána has used the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore for a full-scale recruitment campaign. On Tuesday Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan and Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly launched this year’s drive, which ends on Thursday, October 9th.
There was a time when the force did not need to actively recruit members when there were fewer opportunities and fewer still of a permanent job and pension with An Garda Síochána.
In a time of full employment and endless opportunities, the force has upped its game by bringing in a number of high-profile sports stars.
They included Tipperary All-Ireland winning captain Ronan Maher; two-times Meath All-Ireland winner Meghan Thynne; Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton, who played League of Ireland before taking up Gaelic football; and former Ireland rugby player Fiona Reidy, all members of the force.
Maher (29) combines being a garda in Portlaoise with the responsibilities of being Tipperary captain before and after this year’s improbable All-Ireland win.
“You have to be really disciplined and organised and planning in advance. Without the support of my colleagues in Portlaoise Garda station that wouldn’t be possible,” he says.
He recommends the force to young people who are playing high-level sport too. “Have a good strong think about it.”
A total of 62,000 visitors attended day three of the ploughing, making for a total of 225,000 over the three days.
