Renowned ploughman, Jer Coakley, has confirmed the success of the 2025 National Ploughing Championships for the sport of ploughing.

Reflecting on the three days of competition held recently at Screggan in Co Offaly, the Cork-based suckler and tillage farmer highlighted the large crowds that gathered to see the competitors going through their paces.

Coakley said: “All of this is extremely positive.

“And we need to build on this for the future. The National Ploughing Association has done a tremendous job over recent years in raising the profile of the sport.

“Ireland’s recent success in World and European Championships has helped the cause of ploughing in this part of the world.

Coakley is concerned that the continuing contraction in farm numbers throughout Ireland will diminishe the pool of young people with a potential interest in ploughing.

He said: “Not that long ago when mixed farming practices were the backbone of Irish agriculture, ploughing was practised on a very wide-scale basis. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case."

Meanwhile, the last major ploughing championship event of 2025 takes place near Banbridge in Co Down this weekend.

The Northern Ireland Ploughing Association hosts the Five Nations Championship over two days - Friday, September 26, and Saturday September 27.

The countries competing are the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

Representing the Republic of Ireland will be John Cotterell from Co. Kilkenny in the conventional class and Eric Wickham in the reversible class

Senior Conventional Test Match

1^st: Martin Kehoe, Wexford

2^nd: Matthew Simms, Donegal

Kverneland Reversible Test Match

1^st: Jer Coakley, Cork West

2^nd:  John Whelan, Wexford

Junior A Conventional Plough Class

1^st:  John O’Brien Jnr, Tipperary South

2^nd: Tom Duffy, Tipperary North

Junior B Conventional Plough Class

1^st: Michael Donegan, Kerry

2^nd: Joseph Twomey, Cork East

Macra Two-furrow Conventional Plough Class

1^st: Shane Caulfield, Wexford

2^nd: Aoife Hennessy, Kilkenny

Standard Three-furrow Reversible Plough Class

1^st: Padraig Walsh, Cork West

2nd: Francis Harney, Wexford

Special Horse Plough Class

1^st: Jeremiah Delaney, Cork East

2^nd: James Kilgarrif, Galway

Vintage Two-furrow Mounted Plough Class

1^st: Oliver Smyth, Meath

2^nd: Thomas Beausang, Waterford

Vintage Two-furrow Trailed Plough Class

1^st: David Grattan, Down

2^nd: Aenas Horan, Kerry