The National Ploughing Championships 2022 is fast approaching, with the event set to take place over three days next week – Tuesday (September 20) to Thursday (September 22).
This year’s Ploughing – the first since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic – will be held in Ratheniska, Co. Laois.
The National Ploughing Championships will this year coincide with the World Ploughing Contest at the same venue, after the latter was moved from St. Petersburg, Russia.
An Garda Síochána have put together a traffic management plan to outline the routes of travel to the event, as well as the appropriate parking locations.
The six routes are colour coded. The blue route will cater for traffic from around Cork.
Traffic travelling northbound on the M8 will exit at junction four (J4) for Johnstown and Urlingford, and then proceed onto the regional (R) route 439 to Durrow.
From Durrow, traffic will continue onto the national (N) route 77 to Abbyleix. There, traffic will turn right onto the R425 to Ballyroan village, continuing to Cashal Cross and bearing right onto the R427 to Money Cross and proceeding to parking in the designated ‘blue’ carparks on the left and right of that road just beside the event grounds.
The purple route will carry traffic from Dublin, the surrounding parts of Leinster, and Northern Ireland.
Traffic travelling southbound on the M7 will exit at J15 for Cappakeel and proceed left onto the local (L) route 3930 where it will travel to Vicarstown. In Vicarstown, vehicles will turn right onto the R427 and travel to Stradbally.
In Stradbally, traffic will turn right onto the the N80 for approximately 400m and will then turn left at Abels Corner, continuing on the R427. Traffic will then proceed to parking in the designated ‘purple’ carparks on the left and right of that road just beside the event grounds.
The brown route will take traffic from Limerick, Kerry and the general southwest area.
Traffic travelling northbound on the M7 will exit at J17 for Togher, Portlaoise and proceed left onto the N77 towards Portlaoise town.
Traffic will be diverted right at Meelick onto the L6310 where it will turn right onto the R426 and onto Sheffield Cross. At Sheffield Cross, traffic will turn right again and proceed onto Money Cross to parking beside the event grounds in the ‘brown’ carparks on either side of the R427.
Traffic travelling northbound on the R445 will be diverted back onto the M7 at J18 where it will proceed to parking with the rest of Limerick, Kerry, and southwest traffic.
The green route will see traffic coming from the west and northwest. Traffic travelling from the west on the N80 will proceed to Mountmellick town. Approaching the town, traffic will take a left onto the L20972, continuing on this road to take a right onto the L423.
Traffic will join the R422 and travel as far as Kennels Cross, Emo. At Kennels Cross traffic will turn right onto the R419 and travel forward to the R445, turning right and proceeding towards Portlaoise.
In Kilminchy, traffic will turn left and after around 200m turn right at Rathbrennan onto the R425, travelling on to Bloomfield Cross.
At the cross, traffic will turn left onto the N80 and proceed to Dysart where it will turn right onto a one-way system along the L6772 as far as Ratheniska village. Traffic will proceed to parking in the ‘green’ car parks near the church in the village.
The yellow route will take traffic from Co. Carlow and the general southeast region.
Traffic travelling from Carlow and the southeast will travel through Simmons Mill crossroads on the N80 and continue forward towards Stradbally town via the Windy Gap. At Court Square, Stradbally, traffic will turn left onto the L3837 (Timahoe Road) and go to Timogue crossroads where it will turn right onto the L7835 (one-way system).
Traffic will proceed to the ‘yellow’ carparks beside the event grounds on the left hand side of the L7835.
Traffic from the Kilkenny and adjacent parts of the southeast will take the grey route.
Traffic will take the N78 and will turn left at Newtown crossroads and continue forward along the R430 to The Swan. Just outside The Swan, traffic will turn right onto the R426 and continue to Timahoe. In Timahoe, traffic will be diverted to two routes, depending on the volumes:
- Traffic will be diverted onto the L3838 (Stradbally Road) towards Timogue Cross and left onto the L7835 where it will merge with the yellow route outlined above;
- Traffic will continue through Timahoe village on the R426 towards Money Cross. At Loughteague Lane, traffic will turn right onto the L78354. Traffic will proceed to parking by turning right off the L7837 and proceeding as close to the blue carparks and yellow carparks as possible.