- National Ploughing Championships
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The Irish National Ploughing Championships take place each year in the month of September. The 2012 Championships will be held at Heathpark, New Ross, Co. Wexford. The first inter- county ploughing contest took place in 1931 as a result of an argument between two lifelong friends, Denis Allen of Gorey, County Wexford and JJ Bergin of Athy, County Kildare. Each argued that their respective counties had the best ploughmen. This resulted in a challenge being called for. Therefore on Monday 16th of February 1931, the first National Ploughing contest took place in Mr W.K. Hosie’s field at Coursetown in Athy. Since then, the National Ploughing Championships has grown in size, year on year. It has expanded from requiring a small field of 26 acres to needing over 700 acres of land today. Within this, the site now requires 220 acres for ploughing, 80 acres for trade stands and exhibition space, 400 acres of car parking and a demonstration area of approximately 25 acres. Since its inception, the National Ploughing Championships has become much more than just an annual inter-county competition; it has become an intrinsic part of Irish rural life.
The National Championships is now no longer just for ploughing or machinery enthusiasts, the modern event now features something for just about every member of the community. These include a Tented Trade Village, a Food Fair, Craft Village, Livestock, Forestry, Education, Lifestyle, Financial Services, Bio Energy and Agri Service. Along with this, there are many entertainment and special events taking place. Some of these include: Fashion Shows, Celebrity Guests, Sheep Dog Trials, Loy Digging, All Ireland Lamb Shearing, Most Appropriately Dressed Lady & Gent Competitions, Craft Demonstrations, Meggers, Celebrity Cookery Demonstrations, Outdoor Radio Broadcasts and much more. With all this happening, the yearly championships usually attracts in excess of 1100 exhibitors and up to 190,000 visitors.
List of locations by year
The following is a complete list of competition locations:
Year Location 1931 Athy 1932 Gorey 1933 Clondalkin 1934 Athenry 1935 Mallow 1936 Tullamore 1937 Greystones 1938 Carlow 1939 Killarney 1940 Thurles/Kilkenny 1941 Cork 1942 Cloghan (Dublin) 1943 Portlaoise 1944 Ballinasloe 1945 Tipperary 1946 Balbriggan 1947 Maynooth 1948 Limerick 1949 Drogheda 1950 Bandon 1951 Wexford 1952 Athenry 1953 Mullingar 1954 Cahir 1955 Athy (Silver Jubilee) 1956 Nenagh 1957 Boyle, County Carlow 1958 Tramore 1959 Carlow 1960 New Ross 1961 Killarney 1962 Thurles 1963 Athenry 1964 Kilkenny 1965 Enniskerry, County Wicklow 1966 Wexford 1967 Tullow, County Carlow 1968 Mallow, County Cork 1969 Rockwell College, Cashel, County Tipperary 1970 Kilkenny 1971 Finglas, County Dublin 1972 Rockwell College, Cashel, County Tipperary 1973 Wellingtonbridge, County Wexford 1974 Watergrasshill, County Cork 1975 Bennettsbridge, County Kilkenny 1976 Wells, Gorey, County Wexford 1977 Rockwell College, Cashel, County Tipperary 1978 Knocktopher, County Kilkenny 1979 Watergrasshill, County Cork 1980 Cashel, County Tipperary 1981 Wexford 1982 Edenderry 1983 Waterford 1984 Ardfert, County Kerry 1985 Kilkea, County Kildare 1986 Woodsgift, County Kilkenny 1987 Charleville Estate, Tullamore 1988 Oak Park Research Centre, Carlow 1989 Oak Park Research Centre, Carlow 1990 Oak Park Research Centre, Carlow 1991 Crecora, County Limerick 1992 Carrigtwohill, Midleton, County Cork 1993 Shanballyard, Clerihan, Clonmel 1994 Drumgold, Enniscorthy 1995 Ballacolla, County Laois 1996 Oak Park Research Centre, Carlow 1997 Parkmore, Fiveally, Birr, County Offaly 1998 Ballycarney, Ferns, County Wexford 1999 Castletownroche, Mallow 2000 Ballacolla, County Laois 2001 Cancelled because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease 2002 Ballacolla, County Laois 2003 Ballinabrackey, County Meath 2004 
The Best Iirsh LivestockGrangeford, Friarstown, Tullow, County Carlow 2005 Mogeely, Castlemartyr, County Cork 2006 Grangeford, Friarstown, Tullow, County Carlow 2007 Annaharvey Farm, Tullamore, County Offaly 2008 Burnchurch, Cuffesgrange, County Kilkenny 2009 Cardenton, Athy, County Kildare 2010 Cardenton, Athy, County Kildare 2011 Cardenton, Athy, County Kildare 2012 Heathpark, New Ross, County Wexford References
External links
- Official website of the National Ploughing Championships
- Abbeydorney Ploughmen
Categories:- Agricultural shows in Ireland
- Annual events in Ireland
- Festivals in Ireland
- History of agriculture
- Recurring events established in 1931
- September events
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