President presses the flesh as well as the soil

All of us are, at most, only a few generations removed from the soil.

Getting back on the ground, breathing in the rural air, and pressing the flesh of callused working hands clearly invigorated President Michael D Higgins.

The spritely 77-year old was in full flight, hands and voice raised, as he upped the ante in the presidential campaign with a soaring speech yesterday.

He ploughed everything into his 20-minute speech in Screggan, Co Offaly, citing the heroes of the 1913 Lockout, the leaders of the Easter Rising and another hero, current world ploughing champion Eamonn Tracey. He even made mention of his own great-uncle Patrick Higgins, who, after moving to Queensland in 1862, won many local ploughing competitions.

It truly was a sight to behold, small in stature but big on bang. The president had an already captive farming audience almost running to the ballot boxes when he emphasised, with a fist in the air, the importance of the Single Farm Payment and hit out at a “monopoly” squeezing producers.

Animated and at times perhaps a little over-egged, Mr Higgins stayed well away from the lofty language that often fills his speeches and couldn’t contain the grin directed at his wife Sabina as he received a standing ovation. He was in his element.

Job well done. Presidential rivals take note.

Indeed former Dragons’ Den star Seán Gallagher was there to witness what was Michael D’s opening volley in the presidential campaign, although he hadn’t brought his notebook.

Both men shook hands after Mr Higgins spotted him in the crowd.

Making his way up the steps to the bandstand, the astute politician made sure to double back to get in a quick word with the Cavan businessman.

Sean Gallagher waited stageside as the President arrived.. Higgins spotted him once he got to the stage and went down to greet him. #Aras18 #Ploughing18 pic.twitter.com/tycYxmcpyC

— Daragh Brophy (@DaraghBroph) September 18, 2018

The tone had already been set when the President made a visit to the plots.

He stopped to get the lay of the land from a number of ploughmen and their horses as the championship’s director, Anna Marie McHugh, directed him around the field by the elbow.

Men in worn anoraks and wellingtons who looked on all seemed convinced that the “fear usail” should remain on in the Áras.

“There should be no election at all, he is after doing a very good job for us. He is going to walk in again,” said Garrett Savage, who had left his home in Tralee at 5am to support neighbour and ploughman Seamus Trant.

After surveying the furrows, Mr Higgins set to work on his own contest. “I am very much looking forward to the campaign, I have never run away from a campaign in my life, for goodness’ sake, and I have been delighted to have answered questions for about 30 or 40 years in relation to campaigns. I am looking forward to it,” he declared.

Again acutely aware of his audience and keeping both the electorate and press onside, he made reference to the difficult year farmers have experienced, before getting in a plug for the Irish Examiner.

“I have been preparing and watching the statistics and I hope it’s not inappropriate for me to say that the Examiner and the ICMSA are doing a great service with their survey looking at the perceptions of those who are actually involved in farming.”

After stopping off in the National Ploughing Association headquarters tent for tea, Mr Higgins again set out to meet the people, staying on through a nasty shower which sent people scuttling in all directions.

“It’s an election year after all,” said one of his handlers when asked about the extended appearance.

“Go in and see the small man, he is in there,” said one older man to another outside the IFA tent, both as excited as children at Christmas.

Away from the excitement of a presidential race — four candidates, including Mr Higgins, turned up at the event to canvass yesterday — the ploughing is a down-to-earth event.

“All the people in urban Ireland, in towns and cities, they are not very far from the land and it would do everyone a lot good to take a lump of the auld soil in their hands every day,” said a smiling Mr Higgins.