Tipp TD at Ploughing Championships

Deputy Michael Lowry was amongst the 115,500 people who descended on Ratheniska in Co Laois on Wednesday for the National and World Ploughing Championships. The numbers present set a new attendance record for the treasured national event since it first began on February 16, 1931.

Officials reported that 91,500 people attended on Tuesday, which was the first day of the event, and before the gates close on Thursday evening it is expected that some 300,000 will have rambled through the 900-acre site and visited most, if not all, of the 1,700 trade stands and displays that are located along the 37kms of trackways.

The weather has been kind to this year’s Championships so far and the overall organisation of the massive event has been second to none.

The overriding message from those in attendance was ‘It’s great to be back’ as the much anticipated annual event has not taken place for the past three years due to Covid restrictions.