A welcome home reception was held in Dublin Airport recently to celebrate the Irish Ploughing Team’s success at the recent European Ploughing Contest in Suzdal, Russia.

Liam O’Driscoll from Bandon, Co. Cork, won first place at the European competition and Dan Donnelly from Blackwater, Co. Wexford, came first in the stubble ploughing and fourth in the overall competition.

Liam O’Driscoll gets a hug from his mother Carmel. Image source: Finbarr O’Rourke

Driving a Massey Ferguson with a Kverneland plough, O’Driscoll had a firm hand on proceedings, scoring 472.5 points overall – some 52.5 points ahead of second place.

Meanwhile, also pulling a Kverneland – but with a John Deere – Donnelly put in a strong shift on the second day, receiving the highest score awarded on the Sunday, to notch up 379.4 points.

The team were managed by DJ McHugh from Co. Laois and coached by Joe Slattery from Co. Tipperary. The NPA president James Sutton also accompanied the Irish team to Russia.

Liam O’Driscoll from Bandon, Co. Cork, is greeted by Anna May McHugh, NPA managing director, and Dan Donnelly from Blackwater, Co. Wexford. Image source: Finbarr O’Rourke

The event took place on both June 23 and 24 and saw competitors travel from Ireland, Estonia, Scotland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, England, Belgium and the Czech Republic – as well as host country Russia.

The National Ploughing Association (NPA) lauded the Irish competitors, and sent its congratulations over social media.

Meanwhile, the National Ploughing Association (NPA) managing director Anna May McHugh celebrated American ‘Independence Day’ 2018 in the US Embassy in Dublin earlier this week.

Image source: NPA Twitter

Pictured above are the NPA managing director and USA Charge d’Affaires Reece Smyth.