All roads lead to Offaly for ploughing championships

The new venue at Screggan, 5km outside Tullamore, brings challenges for the the organisers of the National Ploughing Championships in Co Offaly which begin today.

Motorists from south Munster are being advised not to access the site by the usual route to the town, which is to turn off the M8 motorway at Portlaoise and proceed through Tullamore. Instead, they should get off at Junction 6 (Horse and Jockey) and follow the signs through Thurles, Templemore and Roscrea. Otherwise, they will get caught in traffic going through both Portlaoise and Tullamore.

“If motorists don’t turn off the Dublin motorway when they should, we are in trouble,” said ploughing managing director Anna May McHugh. “If everybody takes the routes they are being asked to take, we should be okay.”

Since its inception in 1931, the ploughing has been a movable feast. This year, it has decamped from Ratheniska, Co Laois – which hosted the event for three years – to an 800-acre site in Co Offaly.

Massive effort

Insp

John Lawless

of Tullamore Garda Station said the site is more challenging than other years, as it is just on the fringes of the town. The busy N52 between

Birr

and Tullamore will be blocked off in both directions to facilitate traffic. He advised motorists to follow the signs, turn off the sat-nav and “just have patience. There is a massive effort being put in, but we’re into the unknown and we will not know how it works until Tuesday morning”.

Bus Éireann will operate a shuttle service from Tullamore train station to the venue from 7am to 11.30am, with return journeys running from 1.45pm to 6.30pm.

It will also operate a park and ride facility from one of the event’s largest car parks direct to the exhibition site.

Last year saw a record 281,000 visitors and 1,500 exhibitors. This year, the number of exhibitors will surpass 1,600. Could this year set another record?

“We don’t set a target,” Ms McHugh said. “We are a voluntary organisation. If we pay the bills and if we come out with a good event, we’re happy. At the same time, you don’t want to be going backwards with numbers.” She admits the championships could get too big “if we let it”.

“We’re not anxious to get bigger. Everything changes and you get into the potential of having event management companies involved. It takes away the ownership.”

President Michael D Higgins will open the championships today, Taoiseach Enda Kenny is due tomorrow and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin will be on site on Thursday.

The weather forecast for the three days is mixed. Wellingtons are recommended.