WORK on dismantling the huge tented site which provided entertainment, trade displays, food and shelter for the thousands who attended the National and World Ploughing Championships in Carlow has begun in earnest at Oak Park.
Since last Wednesday more than 180,000 people attended the event, a record for the championships that cost over £1 million to stage.
The failure of Ireland's top ploughman, Martin Kehoe, to win the world title, which he has held for the past two years, was the only disappointment in what proved to be a magnificent event for visitors, exhibitors and the National Ploughing Association.
The world title was won by a Danish competitor, Jens Iversen. Northern Ireland's Desmond Wright took second place, and Martin Kehoe came third. His consolation was that he had already picked up the Irish national title earlier in the week.
Mr Kehoe is Ireland's greatest ploughman of all time, with 11 all Ireland senior titles to his credit. As well as his two world titles in ploughing he is a tug owar champion who has represented Ireland on many occasions.
The NPA placed special security on the plot Martin was ploughing on Friday, when his supporters began to intrude on the competition area.
The NPA managing director, Mrs Anna May McHugh, said they "want to hold the event at the size it is. The quality for those competing and for the visitors will drop if we are not careful."
As well as the sheer volume of traffic, she pointed out that providing water, sanitary services, phones, food and security were a major task.
"We had to sink two additional wells on the farm this year to provide more water," she said.
Because the NPA was staging the world championships, the organisers extended the event into Saturday this year, which attracted more than 50,000 visitors.
When the NPA meets soon the question of whether it should provide a permanent national site for the championships, to resolve many of the logistical problems will be discussed.
Mrs McHugh said: "This question comes up every year, but we have to remember that the championships should move around the country, to allow the county associations host it and to bring it to the different regions."
While the decision has already been taken to stage the event near Birr, Co Offaly, next year, other counties are making their case to host the ploughing in 1998.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, has been throwing his weight behind the Wexford application, on the grounds that it would coincide with the commemoration of the 1798 Rebellion.
Mrs McHugh, who was described by Mr Yates as "a man of a woman" in a speech at the event, made it clear on Saturday that she regarded what Mr Yates had said as a compliment.
His backing of the Wexford application, she assured the press conference, will be beneficial to them, and after all, she added, the Department of Agriculture had given a £50,000 grant towards the Carlow championships this year.
Officials from the 28 countries which took part in the world championships leave Ireland tomorrow. There were more than 300 in the group and 1,000 more supporters travelled to the event.
The largest group, more than 60, came from Australia to see how the Irish handled the event.
They were overwhelmed by the size and scope of the Oakpark championships and said they had learned a great deal to help them stage the event next year.
Martin Kehoe will represent Ireland there and he hopes to add yet another world title to his achievements.