187,500 people attend despite poor weather

A total of 187,500 people attended the three-day National Ploughing Championships which ended on a high note at Heathpark, New Ross, Co Wexford, last evening.

An estimated 64,000 were present yesterday along with 71,500 on Wednesday and 52,000 on the opening day, Tuesday.

The overall turnout was just short of the 190,000 people who flocked to the event last year in Athy, Co Kildare.

But the huge attendances this week, despite periods of heavy rain and high winds, led to lengthy traffic tailbacks and delays for motorists.

National Ploughing Association press officer Anna Marie McHugh said there was bound to be delays when an event of such magnitude was held on a green field side in the heart of the countryside.

She said the gardaí under Superintendent Aiden Brennan, had worked well beyond their scheduled duty times in order to deal with the heavy traffic.

“We did our utmost to move the traffic on as quickly as possible,” she said, apologising to people who were annoyed over being delayed for hours in tailbacks.

But the fear of traffic delays clearly did not deter people from coming to the event, she said, describing the week as having been tough but gratifying.

Despite the weather conditions and having to tow vehicles out of parking areas, she said not one ploughing associated accident was reported.

There was speculation prior to the event Heathpark would have been named as the venue for next year’s championships to avail of the infrastructure put in place for this week’s event.

The NPA had also been urged to bring the event back to Wexford next year for the 50th anniversary of then US president John F Kennedy’s 1963 visit to his ancestral county.

Ms McHugh said no decision had yet been taken in relation to the venue for the 82th championships next year, but returning to Heathpark was one option. They would have to discuss the matter with the landowners.

Two or three other possible venues were also being considered as the venue for next year and for 2014. A decision would be taken in October.

Enda Kenny, who spent over three hours visiting the event, congratulated Anna May McHugh, managing director, and the National Ploughing Association staff.

The Taoiseach said they had completed an “extraordinary list of logistics” both in terms of traffic in and out of the site and in the provision of all the facilities to cater for so many people.

The event traced the evolution of agriculture over the years from the humble one furrow plough to the combine selling at almost €500,000. It showed the scale and the change of the agri sector over the years, he said.

Mr Kenny made a presentation on behalf of the ploughing association to RTÉ agriculture correspondent Joe O’Brien, who retires shortly. Mr Kenny praised the objectivity and diligence shown by Mr O’Brien in his reporting of agriculture-related issues both at home and abroad over the past 24 years.