The National Ploughing Championships will return to Ratheniska, Co Laois, from 17 to 19 September 2024 marking the third time in a row the event was held at the well-known site.

The Ratheniska site has been chosen once more, following positive feedback from locals and attendees, as well as being centrally located, director of the National Ploughing Association (NPA) Anna May McHugh said.

Attendance at the site for Ploughing 2023 broke the 200,000-mark despite difficult weather conditions.

“The NPA are delighted to be holding the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois again next year,” commented McHugh.

Feedback from landowners, the local community and the wider public has been very positive, and all were enthusiastic to see a return to Co Laois.

“It worked well as a location this year despite the inclement weather conditions. The site has proved popular for several reasons, including its location in the middle of Ireland,” she added.

Awards

McHugh spoke after the NPA awarded prizes to the most successful ploughing competitors in the country.

The recent World Ploughing championships in Latvia saw both Eamonn Tracey from Carlow and John Whelan of Wexford winning Supreme World Ploughing Champion awards in their respective classes.

Co Cork’s Jer Coakley scooped gold at the European Ploughing Championships, while Wexford’s Dan Donnelly was crowned reserve European Ploughing champion.

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