Countdown to the Ploughing: Welcome to Ballymahon the cradle of Longford Ploughing

As we gather on this fertile vein of soil on Sunday, let us just imagine for a moment the challenges faced by everyone associated with the very first County Longford Ploughing match, on Tuesday March 12, 1933, in Mr John Roche’s field.

The birth of Longford Ploughing was just two miles to the east of the ploughing plots, nine decades ago.

We reflect on all the people who attended and we also reflect on every person who kept the spirit of Longford Ploughing alive since then. Who among them could ever dream, the event they pulled together would grow into the festival we have today?

Life was humble, in a world before the hum of tractors or electricity. Progress was still stifled and emigration stopped by the Wall Street Crash of 1929. As the population grew, the fledgling nation struggled to provide food for the people.

Two local men; John Skelly and Hugh Mulvihill organised a ploughing match in John Roche’s field.

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Over the next four years the growing event remained in the Ballymahon area. Thomas McCann Terlicken hosted the second event, on Tuesday, February 27, 1934.

A jumping competition was organised to add extra excitement to the event. Mr Patrick Kennedy from Colehill came 1st in jumping and Mr H J Mulvihill was 2nd.

The local enthusiasm continued in Ned Mulvihill’s Ballymulvey (1935), Hugh Garahan hosted in 1936 and then in 1937 the host farmer was Johnny McCormack in Moigh.

Meanwhile ploughing fixtures mushroomed around County Longford. Travelling with horses and plough was difficult, so matches were organised in Granard (1934), followed by Cooleeney and Ballyduffy, Moyne (1935).

Improving the standard of ploughing to develop farming and increase production was encouraged by grant aid from the County Committee of Agriculture and by 1936 there were numerous smaller parish matches across Longford.

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There has been at least one ploughing match almost every year since then. The few missed years were plagued by ‘Foot & Mouth’ and ‘Covid’.