More than 250,000 visitors, as well as exhibitors, buyers and guests from more than a dozen countries, are to descend on Co Carlow this week for the annual National Ploughing Championships.
The event, now in its 88th year, will take place in Ballintrane, Fenagh, from Tuesday to Thursday. It is designed to showcase Irish food, farming and culture.
Representatives from Turkey, the US, the UK, Uganda, Germany, India, Poland, Ghana, Belgium, New Zealand, France, Saudi Arabia, Latvia and the Netherlands will also take part.
All sectors of the food chain are represented this year, from producer to retailer, with artisan foods, craft beers, celebrity chefs, and cookery competitions.
There will be millions of euro worth of agricultural and plant machinery on display featuring an extensive range of cutting edge agricultural technology and equipment, with the opportunity to see these in action in the machinery demonstration area.
Manufacturers and agents will be present, with specialist sales advisers and technical experts available for free consultations.
Visitors can take the opportunity to admire livestock on display and learn about livestock management, genetics, nutrition and healthcare. This year will also see the introduction of a new agritech pavilion which will include interactive demonstrations.
The British embassy will showcase UK agritech at this year’s championships for the first time.
The tech being showcased includes “Norman the farming robot”, an autonomous precision scouting and spraying robot developed by Harper Adams University.
Demonstrations
Norman demonstrations will take place at 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm in the demonstration area, on all three days of the event. There will also be demonstrations in platooning, vision systems and laser weeding.
Organisers have this year pledged that the event will be “green”, with sustainability at its core. They have said no waste will go to landfill, as a segregated waste collection system has been put in place.
Visitors will be presented with a three-bin system, covering food waste (which will be converted into electricity by an anaerobic digester), mixed dry recyclables and general waste.
There will also be bottle recycling units throughout the site. Caterers are ensuring that as many of their single use items as possible are made from compostable materials and are also offering a 50 cent reusable cup discount for all teas and coffees.
Organisers have said there will be an “unprecedented number” of diverse businesses at the event, exhibiting at the “Local Enterprise Village”. The Innovation Arena also returns to showcase technologies and cutting edge ideas.
Following entries from all across the country and Northern Ireland, the number preparing to plough in Carlow stands at more than 300 for the three days. This year the introduction of the new novice reversible class will attract more young people into the competition.
Among the other attractions set to return this year are fashion shows, sheep shearing, hunt chase, a fun fair, a food trail, craft demonstrations, pony games, live music and dancing, vintage ploughing, threshing, loy digging, and a motor show.
The event will be officially opened on Tuesday by President Michael D Higgins. The day will also feature a musical performance by Sabrina Fallon on the bandstage.
On Wednesday, the Kirwan Academy of Irish Dance will perform on the bandstand, the best dressed “country style” award winner will be announced and there will be a junior hunt chase taking place.
On Thursday, Crystal Swing will close out the show at the bandstand, there will be horse ploughing classes from 10.30am and the final of the junior fudge cake baking competition will take place throughout the day.
Gardaí are reminding those making the journey to plan it carefully, select the appropriate route and follow directions of gardaí and stewards.
Traffic plans
Following consultation with event organisers, the local authority and other stakeholders a comprehensive traffic management plan has been put in place ahead of the event, with seven separate traffic routes.
Motorists coming from Waterford should travel northbound on the N9 and follow the yellow route. Traffic from Wexford will travel on the N80 towards Bunclody and follow the grey route.
Attendees coming from Wicklow should take the N81 and then follow the orange route.
Travellers coming from Galway or the west should exit the M6 at junction 5 and travel along the N52 where they will follow the green route.
Traffic from Dublin and northern counties should travel along the M7 and exit onto the M9 at junction 11, where they will follow the purple signs.
People travelling from Cork and the Munster area should travel northbound along the M8 and follow the blue route. Traffic from Limerick will travel northbound on the M7 and should take the brown route.
Organisers have advised attendees to take the train if possible, adding that drivers should factor in at least double the normal journey time due to heavy volumes of traffic.
Speaking at Carlow Garda station, Chief Supt Dominic Hayes said: "We would advise anyone travelling to the site to visit Garda.ie and identify the traffic route appropriate to them and not to use or rely on sat nav devices.
“Allow ample journey time, follow the directional signage and instructions of Garda personnel and stewards along the route and above all drive safely.”
Bus Éireann are also running shuttle buses between Carlow train station and the site of the competition for those who are taking public transport.
Met Éireann has said the forecast for the three days will be "slightly warmer than normal".
There will be some early morning mist on each of the three days which will clear in the late morning and make way for some dry, warm conditions.
“There will be high pressure dominating the weather on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and even into Friday. Temperatures will be in the high teens, reaching 18 on Wednesday and 19 on Thursday. It will be ideal conditions for the ploughing,” a forecaster said.
