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07 Oct 2025
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07 Oct 2025
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Announcing Ploughing 2026 are NPA chairman John Deery, site owner Lisa Flaherty Grogan; NPA managing director Anna May McHugh and NPA president Mick Mahon. Pic: Alf Harvey
The National Ploughing Championships will once again take place in the Midlands in 2026.
The announcement was made at the 2025 annual prize-giving banquet in Tullamore, where approximately 500 people gathered to celebrate this year’s competitors and winners.
Confirmation of the return to the venue near Tullamore means the Laois or Offaly will have hosted Ireland's biggest outdoor event for 12 of the last 13 editions of the huge event.
NPA Managing Director and Laois woman Anna May McHugh confirmed the event's return to Screggan in Co Offaly in a statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.
"We are delighted to confirm that the National Ploughing Championships will return to Screggan in 2026. Feedback from this year’s event has been overwhelmingly positive, with huge enthusiasm for a return to Offaly," she said.
Ms McHugh, from Ballylinan, also congratulated the competitors and especially the prize winners, highlighting the very high standard of competition across all classes this year. MORE BELOW PHOTO.
Ellen Nyhan from Cork West winner of the Farmerette class is presented with the NPA Silver Crown, JJ Ruane Cup, gold medal and flowers by NPA chairman John Deery, Sean O’Brien, Leas Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council and NPA president Mick Mahon at the Ploughing 2025 awards in Tullamore, Sunday 5th October 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.
READ ALSO: Huge celebration of Laois to be reprised
“Every year it is inspiring to see the incredible talent and dedication from competitors of all ages. With over 350 participants across a wide variety of classes this year, the standard was exceptionally high. Congratulations to all the winners, and indeed to everyone who took part. Ploughing remains at the very heart of the Championships, and it is wonderful to see such skill and passion on display,” she said.
The ploughing has been held in either Laois or Offaly in all but one year since 2013. Ratheniska hosted the event from 2013 to 2015 and from 2024. It only left the Midland counties in 2019 when staged in Co Carlow. Covid-19 forced the cancellation of the 2020 edition.
The ploughing takes place from September 15 to September 17, 2026.
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