President Michael D Higgins’ Ploughing speeches are always heartfelt affairs that strike a chord with the farming and rural communities gathered for the event, but it was only this year that he revealed his most direct connection yet with the world of competitive ploughmen.

Announcing his visit to Australia next month, the President said: “I will be meeting the descendants of my great-uncle Patrick Higgins, who went to Australia in 1862 as a ploughman, and went on to win local draught horse competitions and ploughing championships in the Darling Downs on a number of occasions in the 1860s.”

The inclusion of the Higgins name in the Queensland ploughing hall of fame may help with potential agri-food trade connections, which the President said were on the agenda too.