Community mourns passing of young East Cork ploughman
The ploughing community was deeply saddened this week to learn of the tragic and sudden passing of one of their young East Cork competitors.
In a post on social media, the National Ploughing Association (NPA) said: "Still only a teenager, William (Billy) O’Connell was an aspiring young ploughman with tremendous potential whose life was taken far too soon.
"Billy competed in the National Ploughing Championships in 2022 and 2024, achieving 6th place in the Under-21 Class.
"The O’Connell family have a long tradition with the National Ploughing as Billy’s grandfather, Andy managed the Competitor Assembly Area for well over 20 years, only recently retiring.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the O’Connell and Griffin families at this time."
Ploughing
Anna Marie McHugh, assistant managing director of the NPA said Billy's grandfather Andy became "a very well-known face to every competitor that ever ploughed in the nationals".
"When Billy started to plough competitively, Andy was hugely proud and particularly so when Billy qualified for the Nationals.
"On behalf of the National Ploughing Association and our members nationwide, we wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the O’Connell and Griffin families on the tragic death of Billy.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his dad Donal, mother Brigid, brother Ben, sister Emma, and grandparents Andy and Joan. May he rest in peace."
East Cork
Agriland spoke to William Stokes who is vice-chair and chief supervisor of the Cork East Ploughing Association, and knew Billy very well.
He said: "I knew Billy since he was knee-high to a grasshopper, as the saying goes, and he's been working with us for the last three summers drawing silage.
"His family would have been big into ploughing, his grandfather won an All-Ireland way back in the early days, in the trailer class.
"He has been ploughing with the association for a long time and his grandfather was one of the founding members of our club."
