National Ploughing Championships: It's great to be back says Tipperary Deputy Michael Lowry

Deputy Michael Lowry was amongst no less than 115,500 people who descended on Ratheniska in Co. Laois on Wednesday for the National and World Ploughing Championships.

The numbers present set a new attendance record for the treasured national event since it first began on 16th February 1931.

Officials reported that 91,500 people attended on Tuesday, which was the first day of the event, and before the gates close on Thursday evening it is expected that some 300,000, including the INdependent Tipperary TD,  will have rambled through the 900-acre site and visited most, if not all, of the 1,700 trade stands and displays that are located along the 37kms of trackways.

The weather has been kind to this year’s Championships so far, but today (Thursday) has seen a big change in that regard. However, the overall organisation of the massive event has been second to none and that will continue today despite the rain.

The overriding message from those in attendance was ‘It’s great to be back’ as the much anticipated annual event has not taken place for the past three years due to Covid restrictions.