Laois National Ploughing site basking in sunshine on day two

The National Ploughing Championship site in Ratheniska was basked in sunshine for day two of the three day event.

General Secretary of the National Ploughing Association, Anna Marie McHugh, was delighted with the conditions at the event.  

“I don’t know how we couldn’t be happy with how it is going this year. Everything is so easy when the weather is good.  There is no issues across the board. It has given ourselves an opportunity to showcase what we can do with the event when the weather is with us,” she told Leinster Express/Laois Live.  

“It means that for exhibitors that they can just get on with business without wondering is my tent going to fall in with a storm or whatever and it means everybody is in good form. The kids are in good form, the families that are going around- just the atmosphere is fantastic,” Ms McHugh said.  

She admitted there had been concerns about the condition of the site after the heavy rain that was encountered at the Ploughing last year. 

“There was a lot of consideration about whether we would come back this year or not. Was the land able to take another year after the punishment it got last year? But we really felt strongly we needed for Laois, and for the event in Laois, to go out on a high and look, what a high we are going out on,” she said.   

Not only are the conditions suitable for the crowds and exhibitors, they are also suiting the ploughing, Ms McHugh revealed. 

“The ploughmen are happy too, which is important. Some people said to me, are the conditions right for ploughing because it is dry, but it wasn’t dry, we have had rain in the last few days so it is actually idyllic conditions for the ploughing as well,” she said.