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Up to 300,000 expected to attend Ploughing Championships in Offaly

Updated / Tuesday, 16 Sep 2025 09:41
The three-day event in Screggan, Co Offaly, is Europe's largest outdoor event
The three-day event in Screggan, Co Offaly, is Europe's largest outdoor event

Up to 300,000 people are expected to attend this year's National Ploughing Championships, which gets under way this morning in Screggan, Co Offaly.

The three-day event puts the country's agriculture sector in the spotlight, with key challenges facing farmers - including the nitrates derogation, generational renewal, and the proposed EU-Mercosur trade deal - likely to be among the themes featuring heavily.

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) is also expected to raise the situation in the tillage sector, which IFA President Francie Gorman said, "is under huge pressure and will need immediate Government support if it is to survive".

Mr Gorman also said it is "imperative that the scale of work" done by Irish farmers in relation to improving water quality is conveyed to the European Commission by the Government in order to improve Ireland's chances of retaining its nitrates derogation.

Long list of issues facing farmers in spotlight as 'the Ploughing' kicks off

Under the EU Nitrates Directive, farmers have to ensure the total amount of nitrogen from organic manure applied to their land does not exceed 170kg per hectare per year.

However, Irish farmers have a derogation allowing use of up to 250kg - though that expires at the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture is publishing a long-awaited report on generational renewal at the Ploughing, which will include proposals aimed at addressing the growing issue of farm succession.

The average age of a farmer in Ireland is 59, with the number of younger farmers declining.

Josephine O'Neill, president of the group, Macra, which represents younger farmers, said: "The future of Irish agriculture and rural life depends on reversing this trend.

"In recent decades, we have seen a worrying fall in the number of young people entering farming," she said, adding that "the problem is not a lack of ambition - it is the barriers that stand in their way".

President Michael D Higgins, for the last time as president, will officially open the ploughing championships at midday.

There will also be a strong political element to this year's event, which is Europe's largest outdoor event, with many of the presidential hopefuls expected to be on-site across the week to boost their campaigns.

Gates open to the public from 9am, and there will be traffic-management measures in place, while the weather is forecast to be mostly dry for the opening day.

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Aengus Cox

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Aengus Cox

Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Correspondent