Having come close on several occasions, last week saw Rachel O’Driscoll from Bandon, Co Cork, take the title of the 2018 Farmerette class at the National Ploughing Championships.
“I have placed second twice and third once. Luckily, I managed to pull off the title of first place this year. It was a shock at first, I just couldn’t believe it. To have the challenge of 11 other finalists was brilliant,” said Rachel, who also works for FBD Insurance.
On the O’Driscoll home farm, Rachel and her husband Kevin grow and harvest barley and wheat, as well as keeping dry stock cattle. And it seems that at just seven years old, their youngest daughter Áine is keen to maintain the family’s soil-turning glory.
“My father has ploughed here before in the All-Ireland and won it three times. My aunt Elizabeth Lynch was two-time queen of the plough. My husband Kevin O’Driscoll has won three all-Irelands as well as his father Jackie O’Driscoll, who ploughed in the world championships. The history in it is amazing. Áine absolutely loves machinery and going out to the field in the tractor. So, hopefully in time to come, she will get involved,” said Rachel.
Rachel O'Driscoll from Bandon, Co Cork, is the All-Ireland champion in the farmerette class. She's pictured here with her husband, Kevin, and daughters, Orlaith, Aoife and Áine. \ Donal O'Leary
Rachel is more than happy to be involved in the distinguished farmerette class at the National Ploughing Championships.
“I think it is a really nice title and it is nice for us ladies to be distinguished. Women competed in the recent World Ploughing Championships in Germany and are coming up through the ranks. Primarily it is male dominated, but plenty of women are showing interest in it and are getting more involved in it in the last few years,” she said.
Ploughing standards are very high in the rebel’s home county, making for close competition.
“Down in Cork there is very stiff competition to beat in order to qualify for the National Championships. We have to plough at eight matches throughout the year and have to be the best in each of them. But because of that stiff competition throughout the year, there are a lot of Cork people who have won prizes in the national final,” she said.
Preparation for national finals is the same across all competitions, according to Rachel.
“It’s like camogie or anything else – you can do all the training in the world, but it is not until you get a match that you really have to concentrate and the pressure is on. It’s a brilliant tradition,” she concluded.
Other results from the National Ploughing Championships are available at www.npa.ie
Read more
Ploughing on with Liam O'Driscoll
Cooking in a storm with Mary Berry
Having come close on several occasions, last week saw Rachel O’Driscoll from Bandon, Co Cork, take the title of the 2018 Farmerette class at the National Ploughing Championships.
“I have placed second twice and third once. Luckily, I managed to pull off the title of first place this year. It was a shock at first, I just couldn’t believe it. To have the challenge of 11 other finalists was brilliant,” said Rachel, who also works for FBD Insurance.
On the O’Driscoll home farm, Rachel and her husband Kevin grow and harvest barley and wheat, as well as keeping dry stock cattle. And it seems that at just seven years old, their youngest daughter Áine is keen to maintain the family’s soil-turning glory.
“My father has ploughed here before in the All-Ireland and won it three times. My aunt Elizabeth Lynch was two-time queen of the plough. My husband Kevin O’Driscoll has won three all-Irelands as well as his father Jackie O’Driscoll, who ploughed in the world championships. The history in it is amazing. Áine absolutely loves machinery and going out to the field in the tractor. So, hopefully in time to come, she will get involved,” said Rachel.
Rachel O'Driscoll from Bandon, Co Cork, is the All-Ireland champion in the farmerette class. She's pictured here with her husband, Kevin, and daughters, Orlaith, Aoife and Áine. \ Donal O'Leary
Rachel is more than happy to be involved in the distinguished farmerette class at the National Ploughing Championships.
“I think it is a really nice title and it is nice for us ladies to be distinguished. Women competed in the recent World Ploughing Championships in Germany and are coming up through the ranks. Primarily it is male dominated, but plenty of women are showing interest in it and are getting more involved in it in the last few years,” she said.
Ploughing standards are very high in the rebel’s home county, making for close competition.
“Down in Cork there is very stiff competition to beat in order to qualify for the National Championships. We have to plough at eight matches throughout the year and have to be the best in each of them. But because of that stiff competition throughout the year, there are a lot of Cork people who have won prizes in the national final,” she said.
Preparation for national finals is the same across all competitions, according to Rachel.
“It’s like camogie or anything else – you can do all the training in the world, but it is not until you get a match that you really have to concentrate and the pressure is on. It’s a brilliant tradition,” she concluded.
Other results from the National Ploughing Championships are available at www.npa.ie
Read more
Ploughing on with Liam O'Driscoll
Cooking in a storm with Mary Berry
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