Watch: 'I never in my dreams anticipated' how Ploughing would evolve - Anna May McHugh
The 2025 National Ploughing Championships is upon us, and the woman at the helm of it all, Anna May McHugh, is, as always, leading the preparations for one of Europe's largest outdoor events.
Agriland caught up with Anna May ahead of this year's Ploughing - held in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly this week - to ask her what she expects from this year's event, what will be different in 2025, and why the Ploughing is still the huge annual event that it is.
When asked why the National Ploughing Championships still generates such interest for the farming community and wider society after over 90 years, Anna May said: "People consider it an annual holiday. They love to get out and meet other people and get into all the stands, and they learn from one another too.
"It's very educational, and a very sociable occasion as well, I really think that's the big attraction," she added.
The managing director of the National Ploughing Association (NPA) also said that the wide range of other events that go on besides the actual ploughing match has helped the event hold its attraction.
"For the farming community, it's really their days off... They get a break and they meet one another...There's great camaraderie.
Anna May also said that aside from attractions, the social aspect and the education, a lot of business is done at the Ploughing as well.
In terms of the attractions, Anna May highlighted the ploughing competition itself, with over 350 competitors from all over Ireland; the livestock competitions; as well as the fashion show, which was introduced in 1984 ("with a little bit of opposition - from the men folk I might add," Anna May noted).
There will also be the finals of the National Brown Bread Baking Competition. Even social media platform TikTok will have a stand at the Ploughing for the first time.
Several government departments will also have stands to provide advice to attendees on a range of issues.
There will of course be a presidential election this year, which Anna May said will generate even more of a buzz around the Ploughing site in Screggan on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (September 16, 17, and 18) this week.
She expects the presidential candidates - of which there are currently three at the time of writing - to be on sight at the event.
"I believe there will be a lot of handshaking going on. I imagine [the candidates] will be there everyday, because it will create a buzz. It's a platform where you meet people from all walks of life," Anna May said.
The NPA managing director paid tribute to outgoing President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, who is expected to appear at this year's event for his final Ploughing as president.
"No doubt [the candidates] will have big shoes to fill, because President Higgins has been a wonderful ambassador. He has come to our national event ever since he went into the Áras."
When reflecting on her own time as managing director of the NPA, she said: "When I started at a very young age, it was a very small event, and I never in my dreams anticipated that the event would have evolved to what it is today.
"No bird can fly on one wing. You have to have a good support, and I had that, because our governing board is made up from one person from every county ploughing association...we have an executive committee of eight people...and I got along very well with them," Anna May said.
She added: "I never asked anyone to do something that I wasn't prepared to do myself. It's a team effort, and there's no doubt about it, you cannot afford to have one week link in the chain. Everybody must do what they agreed to do.
"It was that type of support that has made the National Ploughing Championships what it is today."
When asked what advice she would give to young people looking to start their careers in farming, Anna May said: "To young farmers I would say, you must love the land. You must love what you're doing to make a success of it.
"That's the advice I would give them, love the land first before you make a decision," she added.
"I loved what I was doing and that's why I've stayed at it for so many years.
"[Farming] is an asset to have in the country, and I would love to see young farmers taking over, but first of all they have to be given the responsibility. Make the farm over to them, and then they have the responsibility," Anna May said.
