Trade exhibitors interested in attending this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Co. Laois will be able to apply from March onwards.
A delegation from the National Ploughing Association (NPA) held a meeting last Thursday (January 13, 2022) with the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, to discuss this year’s event.
The event and competition is scheduled to take place in the familiar venue of Ratheniska, Co. Laois from September 20 to 22.
It is among the largest outdoor events on the Irish calendar and organisers say they are set for a huge comeback this year after a two-year absence due to the Covid-19 global pandemic.
Crowds at the ‘Ploughing‘
According to the NPA, 2019 saw the biggest event to date with an attendance of almost 300,000.
The association said that already there is “immense interest and positive reaction from exhibitors, patrons and visitors alike” hoping that this year’s National Ploughing Championships will get the green light to go ahead.
The NPA added that public health and safety guidelines will be a priority this year, emphasising the fact that the event is largely outdoors spread across hundreds of acres.
NPA managing director, Anna May McHugh said: “It has been wonderful to see the warmth and depth of support from all over the country and even internationally over the past couple of years for the National Ploughing Championships and in particularly this year’s event.
“I’m delighted to announce that the Trade Exhibition Portal will open in March and we will work very closely with exhibitors making sure they are up to speed on regulations as they unfold over the coming months.”