Racers and robots have a ball at ‘Costa del Cuffe’

IT WAS rural Ireland’s version of Sunset Boulevard at “The Ploughing” in Cuffesgrange, Co Kilkenny, as an estimated 83,000 people flocked to the annual pageant of country life.

There was glorious sunshine, spirit-lifting blue skies and thousands of good-humoured people on miles of trackway, viewing demonstrations, watching competitions and shopping in the various arcades.

Normally associated with wet weather and muddy conditions, this year’s “ploughing” is proving to be a wonderful turnaround.

“Costa del Cuffe” was an apt description of the 600-acre site where 300 competitors are chasing 19 national ploughing titles.

It was a short-sleeves day as visitors traversed the tented town of 900 exhibits or watched the ploughing competitors in action.

Indeed, the whole occasion had the makings of a rousing ballad, which already has a ready made working title — From a Mudbath to a Dust Bowl.

“The weather is a tonic,” said one man, as some people wearing shades stretched out on the grass to absorb the sunshine.

There was heavy traffic, of course but the dry conditions were ideal for competitors and public alike, which made Anna May McHugh, the managing director of the National Ploughing Association very happy.

She said she was delighted for all those who had put so much effort into supporting the event, especially from an exhibition point of view.

It was largely a politician-free day because of demands in Dáil Éireann, but Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith arrived with news aimed at easing the plight of farmers.

Technology ensured, however, that the views being voiced by TDs and ministers in the Dáil were heard through a direct audi-visual link in the Houses of the Oireachtas pavilion.

The former Irish soccer international, Ray Houghton, took part in a National Dairy Council penalty shoot-out for Concern, with the support of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).

Hector Ó hEochagáin, who was on the Horse Racing Ireland stand, urged people to go racing and there were reports that competing dogs in the sheep trials could not hear the commands of their masters due to the noise of helicopters flying overhead.

Ivan Yates, the former Agriculture Minister turned bookmaker and radio broadcaster, was a moveable feast of anecdotes as he met with, and interviewed, Anna May McHugh for radio.

Titan, a robot, meanwhile attracted a lot of attention, as it delivered a medley of show tunes and funny phrases with superb comic timing.

It was brought to the event by FARM TV, the company that advanced technology at the ploughing championships by introducing a giant screen 10 years ago. The mind boggled at the prospect of what lies ahead.

FARM TV said it is indeed possible that in the near future certain aspects of farming practice could be done by androids such as the one seen running around the trackways of Cuffesgrange.