Ratheniska success sees ploughing confirmed for Laois return

Europe’s largest outdoor event, “The National Ploughing Championships” is set to return to Laois in 2023.

The National Ploughing Association has confirmed that Ratheniska will stage the event from September 19 to 21 for a second running.

The total attendance figures for the 2022 ‘Ploughing’ came to an 277,000 visitors and with over 1,700 exhibitors.

The NPA said that the popular site was an ideal location for next year’s event at the National Ploughing Championships prize-giving ceremony attended by over 500 in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise.

Speaking after the announcement the NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said: “Feedback from landowners, the local community and the wider public has been very positive and all were very enthusiastic to see a return.

"Speaking also with many of the exhibitors and visitors over the three days throughout the event, all were very vocal about their wishes to have it staged again in Ratheniska given how well it worked as a location this year.

"The site has proved popular for several reasons including its central location and surrounding road and rail network. By and large most people travelled to the site with ease and the minimum of traffic delays. This has certainly helped the event in being such a success this year and we look forward to 2023," she said.

The MD also congratulated all of the winners who were awarded at today’s prize-giving ceremony. Supreme World Ploughing Conventional Champion Eamonn Tracey from Carlow will again represent Ireland in next year’s World Ploughing Contest in Latvia. And Supreme World Ploughing Champion John Whelan from Wexford will take part in the Reversible Class.