Gardaí warn people not to use Sat Navs when heading to the Ploughing
National Ploughing Championships 2025, road maps.
The road signs know best when it comes to getting you to the National Ploughing Championships - that's the message this year from An Garda Síochána.
An Garda Síochána has asked visitors to the much-anticipated event, which begins tomorrow in Screggan, Co Tullamore, to keep their Sat Navs off and have patience by the bucketload.
With attendees anticipated to be in excess of 80,000 people each day, a traffic management and parking plan will be put in place.
Drivers mustn't use satnav-type devices as they may not have the up-to-date information on the specific traffic diversions for this event. Over the course of the event, persons are asked to listen to and comply with any direction given by the Guards or stewards.
Gardaí are urging road users not attending the National Ploughing Championships to avoid the N52 between Tullamore and Birr. Road users are also asked to avoid all approach roads to Mucklagh village and the event site at Screggan during the days of the Ploughing.
The traffic management plan has an interactive map for those attending the Ploughing that can be referenced on the An Garda Síochána website. This plan has colour-coded routes with a coordinated system for parking in the correct zones, i.e. green route – green car park.
Car Parks are open from 7 am to 7 pm on all three days.
Cork/Munster Traffic travelling northbound on the M8 will follow the ‘Blue’ route to the grounds.
Kilkenny/South East Traffic will travel north along the N77 via Durrow, and Abbeyleix will be taking the ‘Grey’ route.
The ‘Yellow’ route will be guiding in the Carlow/South East traffic travelling on the N80 towards Portlaoise.
A quick note for those booked in the campervan parking, it is listed as a yellow carpark. Those commuting to park there will be guided by stewards to the correct car park on arrival.
Limerick/Kerry/South West North-bound traffic travelling on the M7 will be taking the ‘Brown’ route, which merges with the ‘Blue’ route traffic coming into the car parks.
Dublin traffic is advised to take the ‘Purple’ route. The ‘Purple’ route is the only route without a designated car park on this year's grounds and instead has a shuttle service to and from the entrances at the Ploughing.
Designed to reduce congestion and make access easier, the shuttle park-and-ride service for Dublin traffic runs from 7 am to 6:30 pm daily, and there will be frequent buses from Purple Car Park to the event grounds.
Last return bus leaves event grounds at 6:30 pm, stewards and signage will direct you to the boarding points.
Traffic from the North will travel via Mullingar along the ‘Pink’ route to its corresponding car park.
The ‘Green’ route caters for traffic coming from the West of the country.
Finally, the ‘Orange’ route will cater to traffic travelling westbound along the M7 motorway.
Gardaí have asked attendees of the event to check the maps and identify their route ahead of their commute and to exercise patience with Gardaí, stewards and fellow road users alike.
