When it ended three days later, up to 277,000 people had passed through the gates of ’91 Republican championship in plowing at Ratheniska, Co Laois.
After two days of good weather, several cars had to be towed as wet weather prevailed during the first half of the day.
Wellies, ponchos and buns became prized commodities as up to 19mm of rain was recorded at a weather station in nearby Portlaoise.
About 92,500 attended on Tuesday and a new single-day record was broken on Wednesday with 115,000 passing through the turnstiles. Some may have decided to arrive a day early as 70,000 people braved heavy rain on Thursday to attend.
Ireland also hosted the 61st World Plowing Competition this year with just five months’ notice as the event was withdrawn from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Co Carlow’s Eamonn Tracey and Wexford man John Whelan came out on top in the plot ploughing, winning the conventional and rotary plowing events respectively on Tuesday. Both will represent Ireland at the World Plowing Competition in Latvia.
Despite the mud baths on the final day, National Plowing Association chief Anna May McHugh said it was “one of the most successful” National Plowing Championships to date.
“The overall mood at this year’s plowing was incredibly upbeat and positive,” she said. “From quality livestock and serious tech to fashion, celebrities, TikTokers and a host of sports stars, there was something for every member of the family to enjoy.”
Among the first to arrive and the last to arrive, father and son team Joe and Joseph Quinn from Ardbo, Co Tyrone, will make the three-and-a-half-hour journey home on Friday night with their product, the Cow Tipper, a hydraulic cattle press with the ability to gently lift and tilt cow on its side, allowing farmers and veterinarians to safely access the underside of the animal.
“We had a very good week on the plow,” said Joseph. “We have been doing serious business here for the past few days. Veterinarians, hoof trimming specialists and dairy farmers are very interested in us.”
Agricultural engineer William Allingham agreed the show was “probably one of the best in Ireland” for his Quadcrate business. He said:
Doonbeg man Liam Hanrahan, chairman of Macra na Feirme’s National Agricultural Committee, has been busy inciting the Young Farmer of the Year competition.
“The 2022 competition closes on Monday. Owen Ashton from Co Cork won it last year,” he said.
“The competition is based on your own farm and farming knowledge – what you are doing now, what you plan to do in the future and what contribution you make to the local community – we are looking for a well-rounded person who can act as an ambassador for the industry.”
The organization also held a stand this week with talks on land mobility, women in agriculture and biodiversity.
The future and sustainability of agriculture has been a hot topic in recent months, but is the next generation of farmers really up to the challenge?
“We should be. You will find that farmers are here to be active; particularly young farmers,” said Mr Hanrahan, himself a young farmer.
