Gardaí urge ploughing fans to start journey early

GARDAÍ have advised motorists going to the National Ploughing Championships in Athy, Co Kildare, not to be complacent about their travel plans.

The three-day event, which President Mary McAleese will officially open tomorrow, is costing over €3 million to stage and is expected to attract in more than 180,000 people.

Part of the 700-acre site— which has been turned into a sprawling fully serviced temporary town — is where the first championships were staged in 1931.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and other political leaders are due to attend the event which will have over 1,100 trade stands and is expected to pump some €10 million into the region’s economy.

A Garda traffic management plan will be activated across several counties from early tomorrow.

Supt Pat Kavanagh, of Kildare Town, said the message for all motorists was to give themselves plenty of time to get to Athy.

“They should keep an eye out for the road signs, follow the instructions of gardaí and stewards and drive safely at all times,” he said.

Some 180 gardaí, including the aerial and mounted units, will be on duty as well as 500 stewards from the National Ploughing Association (NPA).

NPA press officer Anna Marie McHugh has also urged people to use public transport as much as possible.

Bus Éireann will be providing a bus transfer service from Athy, Kildare and Portarlington train stations from early morning on each day. Return services will also be provided.

The NPA has also contracted Bus Éireann to provide bus transfers between Cuan Mhuire in Athy to a park and ride facility near the site A temporary bridge has been constructed by the army to facilitate easy pedestrian access to the venue.

Iarnród Éireann with Bus Éireann also has special day return fares from Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Ennis, Galway, Westport, Dublin and Waterford, which includes bus transfers direct to the site.

A world ploughing contest with competitors chasing a €10,000 prize fund will be a feature this year to mark the NPA’s 80th birthday.

- Full details of the traffic, travel and parking plans for the championships are available on:

- www.npa.ie

- www.garda.ie

- www.aaireland.ie

- www.irishrail.ie

- www.buseireann.ie