Author: National Ploughing Association

The National Brown Bread Baking Competition sponsored by ALDI in association with the NPA and ICA is back!

The competition, in association with the National Ploughing Association and Irish Countrywomen’s Association, will see one lucky winner have their bread stocked in ALDI! 

Are you a bread-baking extraordinaire? Put your baking skills to the test and enter this year’s National Brown Bread Baking Competition! 

ALDI is delighted to announce that it will once again sponsor this year’s National Brown Bread Baking Competition, which takes place in association with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) and Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA). 

This year, finalists will be contacted by August 11th and invited to take part in the live finals at the National Ploughing Championships from September 19th – 21st in Ratheniska, Co. Laois. One lucky baker will be crowned the winner and their brown bread will be stocked in 157 ALDI stores nationwide. Not only that, but they will receive a prize of €15,000 – that’s quite a lot of dough!

The competition is free and open to all members of the public with entrants invited to drop off their freshly baked bread at one of the designated nine ALDI locations on the following dates: 

Wednesday 19^th July 2023 09:00- 11:00

ALDI Head Office Naas, Birch House, Millennium Park, Osberstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 YX71.

ALDI Swords, 10 Seatown Rd, Townparks, Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 V2N7.

ALDI Athlone, Golden Island, Ankers Bower, Athlone Co. Westmeath N37 FC04.

Wednesday 26^th July 2023 09:00- 11:00

ALDI Macroom, Oakwood, Sleveen East, Macroom, Co. Cork, P12 ER89.

ALDI, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, V42 KD35.

ALDI, Main Street, Gort, Co. Galway, H91 PV44.

Wednesday 2^nd August 2023 09:00- 11:00

ALDI New Ross, Marshmeadows, New Ross, Co. Wexford, Y34 NP48.

ALDI Castlebar, Lannagh Rd, Garryduff, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 TV29.

ALDI Cavan, Dublin Rd, Tullymongan Upper, Cavan, H91PK29.

Please remember to label your bread with your name, address, e-mail address and phone number. No entries will be taken outside the times and locations specified above.

Speaking about this year’s competition, John Curtin, Group Buying Director for ALDI, said: “At ALDI, we are really looking forward to another fantastic few months of sampling brown bread from across the country. Our association with the National Brown Bread Baking Competition is now in its ninth year and we continue to see top quality and innovation on display from bakers. Last year’s winning product ‘Daragh’s Brown Bread’ has been a hit with customers and we’re certain that we’ll uncover another crop of talented bakers at this year’s competition. Good luck to everyone who enters – we can’t wait to sample your bread!” 

NPA Managing Director, Anna May McHugh, said: “The NPA are delighted to host the National Brown Bread Baking Competition once again at this year’s Ploughing Championships, which takes place from September 19^th to 21^st.  It is fantastic to see that this contest is still as popular as ever since its inception in the early 1950s with hundreds of the most talented bakers from all over Ireland coming together to take part and compete to be crowned the ‘Best Brown Bread Baker in Ireland’.  We look forward to welcoming this year’s finalists to Ratheniska and announcing the winner on September 21^st”.

Hilda Roche, President of the ICA, said: “The members of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association are very much looking forward to participating in this year’s National Brown Bread Baking Competition. I wish everyone the very best of luck.”

Daragh O’Brien, winner of National Brown Bread Baking Competition 2022, said: “Taking part in the National Brown Bread Baking Competition has been a life-changing experience. Not only did I become the first male winner of the competition, but I got to share my recipe with the country and see my brown bread stocked in my local ALDI. I encourage all amateur bakers to enter this year’s competition and wish everyone the best of luck.” 

Think you have what it bakes? Visit https://www.aldi.ie/brown-bread-competition or www.ica.ie for information on how to enter, as well as full terms and conditions.

Exhibitor Bookings Are Pouring In For The 92nd National Ploughing Championships As Businesses Avail Of The Special Early Bird Rate

An unprecedented number of exhibitors have already booked in for this year’s National Ploughing Championships, which will take place in Ratheniska, Co Laois on September 19th, 20th & 21st.   

There has been an immense trade interest in exhibiting at this year’s ‘Ploughing’ as 300,000 visitors are expected to attend Europe’s largest outdoor event, it is widely viewed as the gig of the year.  To guarantee your space and to avail of a special early bird rate book before May 12th.

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said, “It is wonderful to see all of the returning exhibitors and to welcome the large volume of new exhibitors showcasing their products and services in dynamic and progressive ways.  We continue to make a determined effort to improve exhibitor and visitor experience alike, and again this year will be no exception with 37 kilometres of metal roadway, security, lighting, waste removal services, infrastructure and general facilities available on site.

The NPA’s core mission is to create a pleasant, friendly and vibrant place for people, to meet & do business and this is always our priority.” 

The online exhibitor-booking portal is now open following a large volume of enquiries & requests from all over the country and significant international interest – for all details please see www.npa.ie.  

Prize fund of €10,000 on offer for Best Start-Up

New Agri-tech Hub to host winning businesses 

Monday, 3 April 2023 – Applications for the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships, in conjunction with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) are now being accepted. Irish agri companies are invited to apply to showcase their products and innovations at the Innovation Arena from the 19^{th –}  21^st September at the National Ploughing Championships 2023 in Ratheniska, Co.Laois.

The Innovation Arena is a must-see exhibition platform, providing over 50 companies from the agri sector with the opportunity to showcase their pioneering innovations to over 250,000 visitors at the National Ploughing Championships. 

This year the Innovation Arena are inviting applicants from start-up companies that are under five years old and from established companies that are focused on innovation. New for 2023 is the chance for previous participants to apply for a space in the new ‘Agritech Hub’ within the Arena which will give companies the opportunity to return to the Innovation Arena to showcase their progress and growth since first exhibiting. 

Judging for the awards will take place at the arena on day one of the event featuring categories such as best start-up. Other categories include the ACE Agri-tech award and the IFAC best newcomer award. The best start-up winner at the Arena will receive €10,000 and will be presented with the prize at a formal awards ceremony during the National Ploughing Championships.

Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said: “Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting companies and entrepreneurs where innovation is at the core of their business offering. The Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships is a key platform for promoting Irish agri-technology, showcasing capabilities to both a captive domestic and international audience over a busy three-day period.

In addition and for the first time, this year’s Arena will feature an ‘Agri-tech’ hub, allowing previous exhibitors and early stage companies to demonstrate the journey they have been on and the successes achieved to date. It will provide budding entrepreneurs in the agri-tech space with a chance to network and engage directly with these companies on the steps taken to grow their business”, he continued.

Anna May McHugh, National Ploughing Association Managing Director said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Enterprise Ireland to host the Innovation Arena for the eight year. The Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships is a not to be missed for opportunity for anyone who has a good business idea, product or service to showcase at Europe’s largest outdoor event. Located at the core of the activity, the Innovation Arena will attract tens of thousands of visitors over the three days where an exhibitor is guaranteed prime positioning in front of a targeted stakeholder audience.”

To enter this year’s Innovation Arena Awards please visit: https://www.eventsforce.net/enterpriseireland/3271/home

Pax Arva Colat
‘Let Peace Cultivate the Fields’

This morning the ‘Cairn of Peace’ was officially unveiled in its permanent home in Ratheniska, Co Laois to celebrate Ireland hosting the 67th World Ploughing Contest in 2022.

Each country since 1953 that hosts the World Ploughing Contest erects a ‘Cairn of Peace’ Monument – which is inscribed ‘Let Peace Cultivate the fields’.  The idea of a Cairn of Peace being a permanent way to commemorate a World Ploughing Event.  Although stylistically the Cairns of Peace that have been erected are all unique and remarkable in their own right they are all symbols of peace and co-operation on a global scale.

There are Cairns of Peace where each World Ploughing Contest took place and this is the sixth mounted in Ireland and first in Laois.  There is currently one in Kerry, two in Wexford and two in Carlow.

The 2022 Cairn stone was extracted from Mc Keon Stone’s Kilkenny Blue Limestone quarry in Threecastles , Co Kilkenny.   Kilkenny Blue Limestone, a sedimentary rock, was laid down about 330 million years ago in the Carboniferous era when Ireland was covered by a warm shallow sea. 

McKeown Stone, Stradbally crafted the stone into the Cairn whilst Kent Stainless created the exquisite steelwork on the monument.