Further blow to ploughing Olympics

IRELAND’S bid to host a world-class agricultural event involving competitors from 30 different countries has been dealt another significant blow.

A refusal by Kildare County Council to delay major road building plans had already threatened the future of the 2006 World Ploughing Championships. It has now emerged that the actual site earmarked for the ploughing competitions will be bulldozed to make way for the new N9 dual carriageway from Waterford to Kilcullen.

In an effort to ensure the survival of what is the equivalent of the Olympics of the agricultural sector, the organisers of the championships have requested a meeting with Transport Minister Seamus Brennan to delay the road plan.

National Ploughing Association PRO Anna-Marie McHugh said they knew it was a tall order, because Kildare County Council had already said delaying the road was not an option.

“We’ve written to the minister’s department and have asked for this meeting. We’ve assessed the site again since we’ve learnt of the road plan.

“Three fields will be affected by the road. If even one of those could remain untouched, particularly the one where ploughing is to take place, we could reorganise things around the site and still hold the event. We just want work delayed around one field.”

Ms McHugh said she did not know how they would proceed if the minister turned down their request.

“We’re just taking it one step at a time. A possible Plan B would be to try to reorganise the site again. We agreed late in the day to host this event and we really, really don’t want to lose it,” Ms McHugh said.

The NPA only learned of the road plan after the site was chosen at the end of September. Ms McHugh said she feared that if the matter was not resolved quickly, Ireland would lose the event.

“This event is the Olympics of the agricultural community. The US was to host the event but we managed to get it as we are celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the NPA. It would be hugely embarrassing if we had to cancel.

“We have already presented a full package to the board of the world championships, including maps of the venue and precisely where the ploughing competitions were to take place.

“This event features 30 different participating countries as well as 500 official delegates and hundreds of thousands of people were due here over the four-day event.”

The specific field which was to be used for ploughing for the event at the Doyle farm in Busherstown in Co Carlow is likely to be fenced off long before the ploughing event takes place.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said the letter requesting a meeting with the minister had been received and its content was under consideration.

The NPA said the meeting was critical and must take place sooner rather than later.