Recent rains failed to impact on the quality of the ground conditions, both stubble and grass, at the National Ploughing Championship 2025, with competitors and judges confirming the high standards achieved.

All the plough men and women competing at Screggan this week qualified for the national event courtesy of their involvement with numerous county events held over recent weeks.

Ploughing goes to the very heart of Irish agriculture. And it is a tradition that continues to grow with the Ploughing 2025 competitions featuring numerous world and international champions.

One of the most encouraging aspects of this year’s ploughing events was the fact that so many young people took part, with both genders equally represented.    

Making all of this happen has been the commitment of the National Ploughing Association (NPA) in promoting a sport that goes to the very heart f very rural community in Ireland.

And let’s not forget the horses. Tremendous crowds have attended all the horse ploughing classes throughout the first two days of the National Ploughing Championships.

Then it was a case of horse power giving way to hand power as competitors from across Ireland demonstrated their expertise in using loy spades.

The Loy Association of Ireland was founded in 1992 to demonstrate how our food was produced prior to the introduction of the plough.

Under 28 Conventional Junior Plough Class

1^st: Padraig Deery, Co. Monaghan

2^nd: Richard Casey, Co. Offaly

Under 21 Conventional Junior Plough Class

1^st: Shane Doyle, Co. Kilkenny

2^nd: James Mahon, Co. Offaly

Intermediate Conventional Plough Class

1^st: Lorcan Bergin, Tipperary South

2^nd: Gerard Kirby, Cork West

Novice Reversible Plough Class

 1^st: Laose O’Driscoll, Cork West

2^nd: Charlie Bracken, Offaly

Under 40 Horse Plough Class

1^st: Jeremiah Delaney, Cork East

2^nd: Eoin Hand, Monaghan

Vintage Two-Furrow Trailer Class

1^st: Jim Cullen., Wexford

2^nd: Aenas Horan, Kerry

Under 28 Reversible Plough Class

1^st: Stephen Whelan, Wexford

2^nd: John Bracken, Offaly

Under 21 Conventional Senior Plough Class

1^st: DJ Donnelly, Wexford

2^nd: Dean Conaghan, Donegal

Intermediate Reversible Plough Class

1^st: Gary Ireland, Kilkenny

2^nd: Michael O’Halloran, Kerry