Category: 2016 Archive

All Tracks Lead To This Year’s Ploughing Championships

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Visitors to this year’s National Ploughing Championships will have the opportunity to get train transport from around Ireland to travel to Tullamore, where Bus Éireann will operate a shuttle service for the short (5 km) trip to the Screggan site over the days from Tuesday 20th to Thursday 22nd of September.*

Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association said “this service is a huge opportunity for visitors and exhibitors to leave the car at home and use public transport to get to the Ploughing Championships, which will have the knock on effect of visitors being dropped off much closer to the entrance gate, less traffic on the road and easier access. For those that need to drive Tullamore is so centrally located in Ireland that it is an ideal venue, easily reached from all parts of the country.”
Improving visitor experience is always a priority for the National Ploughing and this year is no exception with NPA piloting a park n ride system for Dublin traffic. The service will be complimentary and operate frequently each way throughout the 3 days giving visitors the added benefit of a drop off point within a few hundred metres of exhibition arena.
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As Europe’s largest outdoor event, this year’s Championships will include the core Machinery & Livestock Exhibition, Motor Displays, Agri. Parts and Services, Live Entertainment, Cookery Demonstrations, Indoor Trade Halls, Artisan Foods, Forestry Village, Baking Competitions, Shopping Arcades, Fashion, Vintage Exhibition, and a Bio-Energy Village.

The variety of stands attending the Ploughing is sure to have something to interest all of the family; food, crafts, health, leisure, hotels, government departments, celebrities, demonstrations, cookery and lots more, as well as the top ploughmen and women battling it out for the National title and an opportunity to represent Ireland at next year’s World Ploughing Contest in Kenya.

*Travel on scheduled morning train services from: Galway departing 06.30, 07.30 and 09.30hrs

Mayo departing Westport 05.20 and 07.15hrs and Ballina departing 07.50hrs

Dublin departing 07.35 and 09.25hrs to Tullamore where a bus awaits to transfer you to the 2016 NPC site

Cork departing at 07.00 and 08.00hrs

Kerry departing Tralee at 05.55 and 07.00hrs and Killarney at 06.27 and 07.37hrs for train transfer from Portarlington to Tullamore for bus transfer to 2016 NPC site

Constant bus returns to Tullamore station from 15.00hrs onwards

90% Stand Space Booked!

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A FIRST FOR PLOUGHING – OVER 90% OF STAND SPACE BOOKED BEFORE END OF MAY
NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “Due to unprecedented demand bookings for this year’s Ploughing Championships are up almost 30% on this time last year.  We are delighted that so many have already committed to Ploughing because that is a real seal of approval for the event.  It is the primary aim of the NPA to make the event better every year for visitors and exhibitors alike and early bookings gives us much more design time.”

This year the core agricultural machinery companies, as always will be the anchor exhibitors of the championships showcasing hundreds of thousands of euros worth of the latest technology.  The NPA are also at the planning stage of a few new initiatives in the machinery sector of the event which will add an interesting dimension together with a range of new exhibitors featuring in Screggan this September creating a thrilling mix for visitors.

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With record crowds of 281,000 visitors in attendance last year and excitement building already about this year’s new venue, signals would suggest another “great ploughing” is on the way.

The Livestock Arena, Food and Lifestyle Villages are almost fully booked with the huge “dome” back again featuring over 100 exhibitors.  The motor arena will be significantly bigger following hugely positive feedback in this sector last year.

All of the firm favourite traditional attractions are set to return this year such as Meggers, Sheep Shearing, Hunt Chase, Pony Games, Live Music and Dancing, Vintage Ploughing, Threshing, Sheep Dog Trials and Loy Digging.

In the ploughing stakes a particularly strong programme has attracted entries from all around the country and Northern Ireland bringing the number preparing to plough in Offaly over 300 for the 3 days.

Brown Bread Comp Returns!

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THE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL BROWN BREAD BAKING COMPETITION MAKES A WELCOME RETURN TO THIS YEAR’S PLOUGHING

The NPA are delighted to announce that due to great demand “The National Brown Bread Baking Competition” is back again at this year’s Ploughing Championships. The Competition, which is sponsored by Aldi in association with the ICA, has proven to be a tremendous success since it returned to Ploughing in 2014.

This year’s prize pot will increase significantly to over €15,000, with the winner receiving €5,000 in cash plus Ireland’s Best Brown Bread Baker 2016 will have the prestige of selling their bread in Aldi stores throughout the country and receiving at least €5,000 worth of profits when their bread is stocked in stores*.

The qualifiers of The National Brown Bread Baking Competition are currently being held nationwide through the ICA, with 27 finalists taking part in the Regional final in An Grianán in Co. Louth on the 4th of August..

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The semi-finals and finals of this exciting competition will take place live in the Aldi Marquee at this year’s 85th National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly from September 20th – 22nd .

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NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with Aldi and the ICA given the popularity and success of the Brown Bread Baking competition at Ploughing. The total attendance figures for the 2015 Ploughing Championship came to a record breaking 281,000 and this year’s Championships look set to be bigger and better than ever.”