Category: Exhibitor News

Due to popular demand, the Irish Vintage Scene All-Ireland Tractor-Building Challenge returns to this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois from the 22^nd to the 24^th of September.

This year three tractor-build teams will compete over the three days to put together a dissembled vintage Ferguson 20 tractor in the fastest time. The teams start with approximately 40 components and 120 nuts, bolts, springs and clips, and in less than 10 minutes the tractor will be complete and running. That’s right, 10 minutes! In fact, last year’s fastest time was 7 minutes, 18 seconds. If you have never heard of or seen this spectacle before, please follow the below link to see one of last year’s builds.

http://ferguson20build.com/?page_id=90

This year the three teams taking part will be the Donegal team on Tuesday the 22^nd, the Cavan ladies’ team on Wednesday the 24^th and the Cork team on Thursday the 24^th. Each day the teams will compete against the clock three times at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. This is a fantastic spectacle, and is ideal for unique media coverage. We would welcome anyone who wishes to use this in their coverage from the event.

To find out more, or to discuss any coverage options with us, please call 087 2999251 or call to our stand at the event on Row 41, Stand 765.

The Little Acorn Garden – Foroige Time Travel Garden with Diarmuid Gavin, sponsored by Aldi in association with the National Ploughing Association

Four Foroige Clubs from Clare, Cork, Galway and Laois are creating with the help of Diarmuid Gavin and his team, four gardens under the theme Time Travel, using plants and flowers from Aldi. Each of these gardens will be transported by Aldi back to their communities after the National Ploughing Championship to remain a testament to their hard work and creativity.

Scarriff Foroige Club has been chosen as one of the four clubs, this enterprising group supports young people from Tulla, Feakle, Tuamgraney, Bodyke, Scarriff and Mountshannon. Nine Foroige members with youth leaders, parents and local expert Martina O’Brien, will build the garden at the weekend.

Youth Leader Tracy Doyle and Scarriff Foroige are “thrilled” to be working on this special garden and to be finalists in the country. In May 2014 the youths aged between 12 and 17 were offered a small piece of publicly owned land, at The Connaught Road housing estate in Scarriff, by residents to plant and develop. A lot of hard work, thought and local integration has gone in to the development of this garden and where it fits in the community. It has brought confidence and fulfilment; there are apple trees and fruit bushes, which bring thoughts of jam and tart making. A lot of planning went into what was planted and its effect, herbs for ailments, food for cooking, based on the success of this project, there was a further meeting with the residents and another piece of land was secured in Fossabeg, for a children’s garden.

Following discussion with Martina O’Brien who runs a local florist and is an accomplished horticulturalist, it was decided to plant herbs, vegetables, and fruit and mindful of colours to attract bees and butterflies. Martina said “how excited everyone was to be working with Diarmuid Gavin and his team” The group have met him twice and he has allocated a wonderful mentor and project manager Janet Duff, who is a garden designer.

They have chosen the Tardis Time Machine from Doctor Who, the popular TV series. One side depicts the past and the other the future, using recycled material from local company, Clare Waste. The entire area has been very supportive of the group as they prepare to showcase their garden. There is a rich horticultural and preservation culture in East Clare and the group efforts have been supported locally by The Woodland League, Irish Seed Savers Association and local nurseries.

Local artists Ian Kelly and Natalie El Baba have made a beautiful seat and Lynda Christian donated a piece of sculpture for the futuristic side of the garden. The garden on the Connaught Road in Scarriff is called “The Garden around the corner” and the garden at the ploughing championships is “The Little Acorn” and this will also be the name for the children’s garden in Fossabeg using the material from the competition. One of the inspirations for the name “The Little Acorn” is the longest living oak tree in the country is in this region, in woodlands at Tuamgraney, well over 1,000 years old. The oak symbolises power and strength, great oaks stand at over 80 feet. Its powerful branches are home to a huge family of wildlife, particularly great baskets of insects–moths, flies, beetles, wasps and all sorts of creepy crawlies. It is also a favourite choice for many birds, and, of course, squirrels all find shelter and food in its web of foliage.More than any other, the oak has given its name to more place names than any other tree from city to town, village and townland–the name Derry deriving from Doire and “The Little Acorn” is a fitting name for this garden and it’s team.

Want a few hours to yourself at this year’s festival to catch up with friends for a cuppa? Want to see that demo that you’ve been waiting for? Or just to have a wander……Well why not book the kids into Fest’Kidz Kids Camp!! We are running 4 two hour sessions each day of the festival where the kids are guaranteed to have great fun! We will be mask making, doing arts and crafts, playing really silly games, doing a bit of disco and all sorts of other madness. Last Minute Minders is Ireland’s number one childcare agency and has run events all over the country. PLACES are LIMITED so book in advance and avail of our early bird discount! Sessions start at 9am and we finish up at 5.45pm. Call 061 293556 or email info@lastminuteminders.com and one of our team will look after you.

The Sacred Heart Messenger are heading to the National Ploughing Championships 2015.

The Sacred Heart Messenger are delighted to announce that they will be at this year’s National Ploughing Championships, which takes place in Ratheniska, Co Laois from September 22^nd to 24^th.

The Sacred Heart Messenger stand will be situated in the first ever Jesuits in Ireland marquee among seven other Jesuit organisations: An Timire; Peter McVerry Trust; Jesuit Mission Office; Jesuit Refugee Centre; Jesuit Centre for Faith & Justice; Sacred Space; Manresa; and Pioneer and Total Abstinence Association.

To celebrate our visit to Laois, we will be offering a free copy of Father Browne’s Laois with each subscription to the magazine, exclusively to those who sign up at The Sacred Heart Messenger stand.

The Ignatian Bookshop will also be situated in the marquee. Popular titles from Messenger Publications, including the Father Browne Collection, and religious and spiritual books will be available.

The Cross of Venerable John Sullivan SJ will be on display in an oratory in the Jesuits in Ireland marquee. Visitors are welcome to come and pray and to receive a blessing. They can also speak with the many Jesuit priests present or avail of the opportunity to take a ‘selfie’ with a life-size cut out of Pope Francis!

Fr Peter McVerry SJ will be there to discuss the social issues affecting our country today. Fr Kevin O’Rourke SJ, who is saying daily mass in Ratheniska during the Ploughing, will also be on the stand each day. Both are available for interview.

All are very welcome to visit, browse and chat to us.

Our Site Number is Block: 2 Row: 40 Stand: 759

We look forward to seeing you there. Just look out for Pope Francis!