The National Ploughing Championships are celebrating a major milestone this year — their 95th year, with the atmosphere already buzzing.

According to National Ploughing Association (NPA) managing director Anna May McHugh, the growth of the event has "surprised all of us".

In an exclusive sit down ahead of the event Agriland caught up with Anna May and her daughter, Anna Marie, NPA assistant managing director, ahead of this year's Ploughing.

The three-day event will take place in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly this week.

The mother and daughter duo gave an insight into what visitors can expect this year, what it is like working together, and what it takes to pull off an annual event as huge as the Ploughing.

Anna May said she strives for a "safe event and a successful event - that's as much as you can ever hope for".

President of Ireland Catherine Connolly will officially open the event on Tuesday, for the first time.

The showgrounds in 2026 will have new and returning features.

Among the attractions will be the ploughing competitions with hundreds of competitors taking part, machinery section, livestock exhibition, and plenty shopping.

The National Brown Bread Baking Competition will also be a feature again at the event.

Working together

For Anna May, the ploughing "is my life".

"And I don't regret that. I'm a very elderly person now, but I don't regret any minute or hour that we gave to the Ploughing, because I loved it and it was a passion," she said.

"I was delighted really when Anna Marie had a liking for it too because she grew up with it

"We get on well, but we would have our disagreements as well - any problem that would arise both of us would resolve it together."

Anna Marie said her mother has always been a "great person to promote teamwork".

"There's nobody an island," Anna Marie said.

"With an event of this size, this nature, there is no way you could manage it without everybody working together.

"Anna May would always have said down through the years, never give somebody a job that you wouldn't be prepared to do yourself."

Fibre of rural communities

Anna Marie highlighted the loss of people from rural Ireland, and the impact of closure of businesses in the communities such as pubs, post offices, and shops.

She said it is important to the NPA to do what they can in promoting small businesses for example, and the pleasure that comes with them securing opportunities as a result.

"We can be a victim of our own success - we would often lose exhibitors. And the reason you'd lose them is because they actually start to grow and they're at the point that they don't need to be commercially at an event anymore because they're doing so well," she said.

"So there's good and bad in that, but then other companies will come along and they'll need the opportunity as well.

"We really do feel that we do something for rural Ireland."

Post-ploughing

Anna May said they are hopeful for good weather and that the exhibitors do good business, and have a successful event that brings together people from all over Ireland and further afield.

Anna May said she hopes people enjoy the event and wish to "return again to our next venue - which will not be in Screggan".

Anna Marie added: "The one that we hear most about is that the ploughing results are the right result - not everyone will agree with them, but that the right people win".

The ploughing results are announced every evening at 6pm.

"And you'd see somebody being lifted up in the air, and it's quite emotional," Anna May said.

"You'd see mothers nearly crying because their son got so emotional, or hugging each other, because they won.

"The camaraderie, you could not buy it - the atmosphere at the ploughing is tremendous.

"I think it's the crowd that creates that atmosphere."