Where will the 2025 National Ploughing Championship take place?

The location of the 2025 National Ploughing Championships is moving county, and is soon to be revealed.

Ratheniska in Laois rounded off the fourth and final year in a row to host the ploughing, with hot sunshine and a big jump in visitor numbers.

The temperatures hit 24 degrees while visitor numbers jumped by 43,450 to reach 244,000 people over three gloriously sunny September days.

Plenty of business was done too, according to proud Laois lady and Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, Anna May McHugh.

“It went very well. While the weather was very good and in our favour, a lot of organisation went in, we had to have a plan B for weather.

“It was our fourth year in Ratheniska and everybody including the carpark stewarts and supervisers were all well trained beforehand and made it a great success for us in the National Ploughing Association,” she told the Leinster Express / Laois Live on Monday, September 23.

“It was a great send-off from Ratheniska. Landowners have had great patience for four years. It was nice that it wasnt cut up and was left tidy. Quite a lot of business was done we're told. It's great for Laois people.

“Regarding the traffic, we never had one complaint. The way the stewarts parked the cars, you'd think they were professionals, that was all done by GAA clubs.

“We got great support from all over Ireland and overseas. Including Malaysia, Canada, New Zealand. It was wonderful even to meet the Ministers for Agriculture from New Zealand and from Northern Ireland.

“We worked very hard to make it a success and I am delighted the weather held up,” she said.

Ms McHugh who celebrated her 90th birthday this year, had major hip surgery just weeks before the ploughing, but still attended every day of the huge event.

“I am recovering extremely well. I'm still on crutches. I had a major operation on my hip.

“I travelled by jeep around the site every day, I went over to the ploughing field and I've never seen as many spectators at it.

“I called to a number of the trade stands. I was delighted to meet all the politicians.

“President Higgins has never let us down since he was inaugurated, that was wonderful for him to be there. I met the Papal Nuncio, and all different denominations,” she said.

Ms McHugh is not intending to do nothing while she recovers further.

“I've a pile of papers here to do, I'd go mad if I didn't have a paper and pen in front of me,” she added.

The next location will not be confirmed until next month with local talk of it possibly being Tullamore, County Offaly.

The MD will not be drawn.

“It won't be announced for about three weeks until the ploughing banquet. It's a work in progress. It won't be Ratheniska again. People like a change, and it is a big inconvenience to host it,” she said.

The total attendance figure for the 93RD National Ploughing Championships came to a 244,000 over the 3 days, with a huge increase of 43,450 visitors when compared to last year. Exhibitors and visitors alike thoroughly enjoying themselves in the glorious weather with all that was on offer.

The coveted 2024 Best Brown Bread Baker title went to Rose Egan from Offaly, she received a very generous cash prize of €5,000 and a state of the art NEFF oven. The competition was first a feature of the National Ploughing Championships in the early 1950s is sponsored by Euronics & run in conjunction with the ICA.

The NPA thanked all for making their 93rd championhips one of the most successful of all time.