• Plan your journey: Check www.npa.ie for the traffic plan and stick to the designated route, resisting any temptation to take a short-cut. Also, don’t rule out public transport.

  • Don’t forget where you parked: “Were we in the green horse or the purple pig car park?” Trust us, this is not a conversation you want to have as the sun is going down. When you park, use the "Find my car" feature on the Irish Farmers Journal Ploughing app.

  • Fail to prepare, prepare to fail: Study the exhibitor list in advance and keep a packet of tissues, a small tube of sun-cream, plasters and baby wipes in your bag to cover all eventualities.
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  • Avoid the temptation to mud-wrestle: That’s self-explanatory.

  • Attire appropriately: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes,” says Owen Hughes, MD of Portwest, who has many years of experience watching punters enjoy the Ploughing through rain, mud, sunshine and wind.

  • Shop smart: Country Living consumer editor Ciara O’Kelly shares her top tips in getting the best bang for your buck at the Ploughing: “Wait around until the end, especially on Thursday, as this is when you’ll find the best deals. The exhibitors don’t want to be lugging home all their merchandise and are happy to give you a good price,” she says. “And barter. The exhibitors expect it and it’s part of the fun.”

  • Mind that child: If you are bringing young children to the Ploughing Championships, be sure to write their name and your mobile number on the back of their hand in case they get lost.

    “Women or men worried that their partner might stray into Richie Kavanagh’s tent could also consider it,” says one IFJ insider.

  • Work up an appetite: Neven Maguire shares his tips on finding your fill at the Ploughing: "Check out some of the amazing Irish food suppliers exhibiting, and taste as much as you can," he says. "And of course, visit and join in my cookery demonstrations each day at the Irish Farmers Journal tent.”

  • Visit us: Irish Country Living and Irish Country Magazine will be there in force and we would love to see you.

  • Also, our Ploughing app with exhibitor listings, car park map, programme of events, etc, is available for iPhone and Android and can be downloaded from the app store by searching for Farmers Journal.

    • Read more

    All about ploughing 2016