For sports fans, all roads lead to Screggan
Paddy Connolloy, Kildare fixing his plough in a practice session for the National Ploughing Championships at Ratheniska, Co Laois. Picture Dan Linehan
Move over Six Nations rugby fans and Nations Cup show jumping followers – ploughing has its own international showpieces.
The annual Five Nations Challenge brings together leading ploughmen and women from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.
There is also a Six Nations test for vintage ploughing, with competitors from the Isle of Man joining those from the other nations.
And they will both take place next week alongside the national championships in Screggan, with top competitors showcasing their skills.
Each year, the venue alternates between host countries. It is the Republic of Ireland’s turn to stage the 2026 competitions.
The Five Nations test will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the Six Nations Vintage Competition will be held on Thursday.
Meanwhile, over 350 competitors will vie for national titles and other honours across 34 unique ploughing classes on 180 acres of ploughing ground.
An Screagán, venue for the 95th championships, translates from its Irish name as a rough, rocky, stony soil or a patch of barren ground.
But that historic description will not unduly worry the national competitors because most of them competed there last year.
The primarily brown earth that awaits them in Screggan is fertile and free-draining, typical of what is mainly found in the lowlands. It has a rich loamy texture and high agricultural productivity.
Among the contenders will be former world champions Eamon Tracey (Carlow) and John Whelan (Wexford), who will be back from last week’s World Contest in Croatia to defend their respective conventional and reversible titles which they won at the same venue last year.
Screggan‘s soil has been ploughed by generations of local farmers and there are many references to it in the Duchas schools’ folklore collection from nearly 90 years ago.
Children recalled how the ground was prepared by their fathers for the planting of crops. A moulding wooden plough or a spade bought in a shop was used to open the ground and manure was applied with a fork.
Ploughing methods have changed dramatically from those days of backache drudgery. Many farmers and agricultural contractors now use space age machines to till the land.
New equipment and plant will be launched and demonstrated at this year’s championships which will have a massive display of modern high-tech farm machinery.
These will include high-horsepower tractors, specialized tillage implements, and advanced grassland equipment from major brands.
Exhibitors will come from across the world, with a particularly strong representation from Northern Ireland.
There will be two machinery exhibitors from the Czech Republic, along with exhibitors from Scotland, England, France and New Zealand.
This year a Machinery Gallery will provide a dedicated exhibition space where manufacturers and dealers can showcase their equipment in a prominent location without the need for staffing.
It will address one of the key challenges for many businesses by offering an alternative way to exhibit machinery.
Companies will be able to showcase their products to the large crowds without the need to have staff at their stand.
Machinery will be displayed alongside branded signage, contact details or QR codes, enabling visitors to view each product and connect directly with the exhibitor.
Designed as a simple and practical showcase, the Machinery Gallery accommodates everything from compact equipment to large-scale machinery.
