Softening ground welcomed for 310 plough competitors

THE fine weather earlier this month provided ideal conditions for work on the 500 acre site at Grangeford, Tullow, Co Carlow, for this year's National Ploughing Championships on September 28, 29 and 30.

But the return of wet weather last weekend was also welcomed, as it softened up the ground, which had become hard and would have made conditions difficult for the ploughing competitors.

Some 150,000 people are expected to attend, on a site made available by the Nolan and Byrne families, who have successfully completed their own harvesting operations.