Ploughing traffic to impact Laois towns and villages

Mountmellick will be the most impacted Laois town by National Ploughing Championship traffic under the official ploughing championships traffic plan requires the use of Laois roads for three of the designated routes.

Portlaoise, Rosenallis, Clonaslee, Emo, Durrow and Abbeyleix will be impacted to some degree. Portarlington will not be impacted but a shuttle bus service from Portarlington Train Station to the site will be operational.

The official routes to the 2025 championships in Co Offaly, which include Laois are contained in the official Garda traffic plan as follows: 

YELLOW ROUTE

Traffic from the South East (Carlow)

• Traffic travelling from Carlow and the South East will travel on the N80 towards Portlaoise. At Bloomfield Roundabout, Portlaoise traffic will be directed right onto Rathbrennan and onto Junction 16 (M7). Traffic will then turn left to The Heath and left again at the Wheel Inn pub (sign-posted Portarlington). Traffic will proceed to Kennells Cross and be turned left and travel towards Mountmellick town. All traffic will be directed through Mountmellick town.

GREY ROUTE

Traffic from South East (Kilkenny)

• Traffic travelling from Kilkenny/South East will travel North along the N77 via Durrow and Abbeyleix before arriving at Portlaoise where traffic will be directed left at Junction 17 through Clonminham and onwards to Fairgreen Portlaoise, travelling along the N80 to Mountmellick. At Derryclooney Bridge, Mountmellick traffic will be directed left and onto the R422 through Rosenallis and Clonaslee. At Coolagh Cross traffic will be directed right onto the R421 (Killurin Road). At Killurin Cross traffic will be directed left towards the event site at Screggan, Tullamore and parking beside the event site.

ORANGE ROUTE

Traffic from the North

• Traffic travelling westbound along the M7 Motorway will exit at Junction 15 (Cappakeel, Laois), turning right over the motorway and onto the R445 (Old Dublin Road). At New Inn roundabout traffic will proceed through Emo village and onto Kennells Cross where it will turn right and be directed to Garryhinch Cross and onto Cloneygowan village. Traffic will then follow the R420 to the event site.

READ ALSO: Gardaí urge people not to use sat navs to get ploughing

Huge crowds are expected to travel to Screggan near Tullamore on September 16, 17 and 18.