Championship brimful of fashion as country couture steps out in Carlow

THE head garb designs of the men at the national ploughing championships at Grangeford, Tullow, Co Carlow, yesterday, were in a class of their own.

They varied from the wooly styles of sheep farmers and ploughmen to the peaked caps of middle ground farmers and the more sporty types favoured by younger generations.

There was not a bowler in sight as thousands of rural folk walked the aisles of the shopping arcades and strode across to the ploughing plots, well protected from the threatened rain with warm clothing, wellies and boots.

Crocodile Dundee and horsey set hats were sighted, however, and one man was even seen wearing badges on his woollen cap, as if they were military service awards from some great and ancient battles.

Another had a multi-coloured miniature umbrella attached to his head dress, with the obvious dual intention to protect himself from the sun, which didn’t shine, or the rain, which, by and large, did not oblige either, to the relief of all.

Catalogue-sellers stood out in their yellow bibs as did the traffic controllers, who wore red waist coats, as thousands of people again thronged the tillage fields of Carlow for what is now regarded as the biggest outdoor agricultural event in the world.

Fashions of a more serious kind cut a dash with twice-daily showings of the very best of the autumnwinter collections from Carlow boutiques.

There were competitions for visitors to the event with Patricia Shorten, Lismoyle, Castletroy, Co Limerick, being presented with the Mount Wolseley Country Resort prize for the most appropriately dressed lady. Louis Copeland’s prize for the most appropriately dressed man was won by Michael Whelton, Clonakilty, Co Cork.

A Jolly Plough Girl prize was presented to Lorna Murphy, 12, Tullow, Co Carlow, while Philip Hickey, eight, Grange, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was awarded the Jolly Plough Boy prize, courtesy of the National Ploughing Association.

And out on the ploughing plots the oldest contender for honours was 80-year-old Paddy Devaney from Carrowkell, Co Sligo, who has been competing for 45 years.

He took part in the Junior Two Furrow Tractor class with a 33-year-old Massey Ferguson and a Kverneland plough, proving that the ploughing championships still have that special appeal that links ages and agri-technology new and old.