Irish Examiner View: Getting in touch with grassroots

Croweds at the National Ploughing Championships at Ratheniska, Co Laois. Picture: Dan Linehan

The annual Ploughing Championships have been described on occasion as Electric Picnic for middle Ireland — Electric Ploughnic might be a worthwhile rebranding exercise, though it’s not clear if the Wolfe Tones are on hand to entertain the faithful in Laois this year.

Those in attendance have been warned about the bad weather, which may cause a run on wellington boots if some smart operator in Ratheniska has the foresight to corner the market. That is quite likely, as the Ploughing Championships offer dynamic capitalism in all its forms as much, if not more, as any bucolic recreation of the ancient art of ploughing.