Farmers raise their concerns with EU agricultural commissioner as fun and games continue at final day of Ploughing

Séad Ní Mhaoilmhia leading the horses on the all-female team from Cork West, ploughing in the special horse class on Day Three of the National Ploughing Championships 2026 at Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly. Pictures: Larry Cummins

At a tent in the heart of the Ploughing, the EU's agriculture commissioner sat in a scrum of farmers as he was told about how an EU agricultural subsidy plays out in Cork.

Commissioner Christophe Hansen, from Luxembourg, was told the EU Commission’s proposal on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) could see the average Cork farmers’ income cut by €3,291.

Mr Hansen said this was the "very worst-case scenario" and only the baseline they were working off.

Farmers from three separate groups raised concerns about Brazilian beef, other EU countries not contributing more to the agricultural budget, measuring methane, and the "major problem" with rising fuel and fertiliser prices.

Ploughman Jeremiah Delaney from Cork East, ploughing in the special horse class on Day Three of the National Ploughing Championships 2026 at Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly.

"I will keep up my fight, but if you have international colleagues, please tell them to go to their agriculture ministers but also their finance ministers — because that is where the final game will be made," the commissioner told members of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).

Despite the challenges, the fun and games continued at the Ploughing — at the European Commission tent, children played a version of Guess Who with farm animals.

Waterford TY students Evan Carney and Michael Heneghan from Coláiste Clavin on Day Three of the National Ploughing Championships 2026 at Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly. 

At the welly throwing competition, an announcer asked the crowd who would "step into the arena" next.

Up steps a man from Skibbereen, to which the announcer said: "Skibbereen are normally known for your rowing, but how are you at throwing?"

After a few wayward wellies and windmill arms later, another competitor asks how far the winning welly was thrown.

Students inspecting a tractor on day three of the National Ploughing Championships 2026 at Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly. 

"It bounced [where the orange sock is] and hit the far fence. We're going to have to check them for steroids next year."

At the Organic Village, Lucy Cox of Fruit Hill Farm, based in Bantry, West Cork, said there had been an explosion in interest in organic farming since the pandemic, and this had resonated more with the recent rising cost of groceries.

She showed off blight resistant potatoes, which she called "revolutionary", and a row of pumpkins, garlic and other items she had grown.

Thursday crowds watching the special horse class ploughing.

At the junior brown bread making competition, four junior bakers coolly put ingredients together in front of a crowd of friends and family.

Winner Cara Wall, 15, from Dublin, said her baking tip was to put a sheet of baking paper onto the top of the bread towards the end of the baking, to stop it from getting burnt.

Lucy Tate, 16, from Killeagh, Co Cork, said her baking tip was "practice makes perfect" and she loves baking for her friends and family.

Emma Murphy, Mitchelstown. with children Cathal Óg, Ella, Gabriel and Fionn Murphy at the Portwest Welly Throwing competition.

Aoife Ruddock, 15, said while she was now confirmed as the better baker than her dad Michael, who did not make it to the final of the senior bread making division, it is her mam Kathrina who is the best baker in the family.

And Callum McKeague, 12, from Culduff in Co Donegal, danced and winked as he worked, and said he would like to compete in the Ploughing itself some year.

TY students Cillian O'Callaghan, Conor O'Sullivan, Eoghan O'Sullivan, and Diarmuid Hennessy, from Colaiste Choilm, Ballincollig, at the ploughing.

Towards the end of the day, two-year-old Aaron Glancy from Co Carlow became the youngest person of the Ploughing to sheer a sheep, with the help of expert George Graham, from Co Wexford.

He beamed up at his dad as he sheared the last bit of wool off the sheep, four times his size, before The Galway Shawl was sung in a tent packed with punters before they head home.

Ploughing matriarch Anna May McHugh said this year had been another great success.

"Journalists always ask you, what is new this year? Well, we can't have anything more new, we think we have incorporated everything."