President Officially Opens National Ploughing Championships In Laois

The major agri-event kicked off in Laois today.

The President has officially opened the National Ploughing Championships in Laois.

Thousands have walked through the gates of the event in Ratheniska today - with up to 300,000 people expected to descend on the site between today and Thursday.

This year's Ploughing will see more than one thousand trading stalls, including everything from machinery to new technologies on site.

In his opening address, President, Michael D. Higgins, has been praising organisers for their work:

President Higgins declares #Ploughing2024 officially open! pic.twitter.com/IFN6KWiCpK

— National Ploughing (@NPAIE) September 17, 2024

The sun is expected to shine on Laois for the next three days, which will make for a welcome change on last year's Ploughing Weather.

Alan O'Reilly, from Carlow Weather, has the latest forecast:

This year's event will see over 300 entries for the national ploughing classes, while there'll also be sheep shearing, trade stands, and fashion shows.

There's also the annual Machine of the Year competition.

President of the Irish Farmers' Association, Ballinakill's Francie Gorman says it's a major event for rural Ireland:

President Michael D. Higgins will officially launch the event this lunchtime.

These people at the Ploughing say the good weather is lifting the mood at the site:

Gardaí are asking attendees to ditch the Sat Nav, and follow the designated routes outlined in the 2024 Traffic Management Plan.

Bus Éireann will be also running a shuttle service from Portlaoise, Portarlington, and Athy train stations.

See the full Garda Traffic Management Plan below:

BLUE ROUTE
Traffic from Cork / Munster

Traffic travelling northbound on the M8 will exit at Junction 4 (Johnstown, Urlingford) and proceed onto R439 (old N8) where it will travel to Durrow Co. Laois. From Durrow traffic will continue forward onto the N77 (old N8) to Abbeyleix. In Abbeyleix traffic will turn right onto the R425 to Ballyroan village, continue forward to Cashel Cross bearing right onto R427 to Money Cross and will proceed to parking beside the event grounds. All buses on this route will travel forward to Junction 17 Portlaoise where they will be directed onto the Bus Route to the Bus Park adjacent to the event site.

Parking:  

Patrons travelling this route will park in the designated BLUE car parks on the left and right hand side of the R427 just beside the event grounds at Ratheniska.

PURPLE ROUTE
Traffic from Dublin/ Leinster/ North

Traffic travelling southbound on the M7 will exit at Junction 15 Cappakeel, Co. Laois and proceed left onto the L3930 where it will travel to Vicarstown. In Vicarstown, it will turn right onto R427 and travel to Stradbally Co. Laois. In Stradbally traffic will turn right on the N80 and will then turn left at Abels Corner onto the R427. Traffic will proceed to parking beside the event grounds.

Parking:  

Patrons travelling this route will park in the designated PURPLE car parks on the left and right hand side of the R427 just beside the event grounds at Ratheniska.

BROWN ROUTE
Traffic from Limerick/ Kerry/ South West

Traffic travelling northbound on the M7 will exit at Junction 17 Togher, Portlaoise and proceed left onto N77 towards Portlaoise town. Traffic will be diverted right at Meelick onto the L6310 where it will turn right onto the R426 and onto Sheffield Cross. At Sheffield Junction traffic will turn right again and proceed onto Money Cross to parking beside the event grounds. Traffic travelling northbound on the R445, through Mountrath, will be diverted back onto the M7 Motorway at Junction 18 where it will proceed to parking with the rest of Limerick/ Kerry/ South West traffic on the Brown Route.

Parking:  

Patrons travelling this route will park in the designated BROWN car parks on the left side of the R426 just beside the event grounds at Ratheniska.

GREEN ROUTE
Traffic from the West/North West

Traffic travelling from the west on the N80 will proceed to Mountmellick town.  Approaching the town Traffic will take a left onto the L20972 at Bay Road.  Continuing on this road to take a right onto the R423. Traffic will join the R422 and travel as far as Kennels Cross, Emo, Co. Laois. At Kennels Cross traffic will turn right onto R419 and travel forward to the R445 (Old Dublin Rd), turning right and proceed towards Portlaoise. At Ballydavis/Ballycarroll Traffic will take the first exit on the roundabout and approach a second roundabout where they will take the 3rd exit towards Rathbrennan, Portlaoise where traffic will turn left at Rathbrennan onto the R425 travelling forward to Bloomfield Cross.

At Bloomfield Cross, traffic will turn left onto N80 and proceed to Dysart where it will turn right onto a one-way system along the L6772 as far as Ratheniska village. Traffic will proceed to parking beside the event grounds.

Parking:  

Patrons travelling this route will park in the designated GREEN car parks just beside the event grounds at Ratheniska.

YELLOW ROUTE
Traffic from South East/ Carlow

Traffic travelling from Carlow and South East will travel through Simmons Mill Crossroads on the N80 and continue forward towards Stradbally town where traffic will turn left at St. Joseph’s Cemetery onto the L3839 and go to Timogue Cross Roads where it will proceed straight onto L7835 (One-way system). Traffic will proceed to parking beside the event grounds.

Parking:

Patrons travelling this route will park in the designated YELLOW car parks on the left hand side of the L7835 beside the event grounds at Ratheniska

GREY ROUTE
Traffic from South East (Kilkenny)

Traffic travelling from Kilkenny/South East along the N78, through Castlecomer, will turn left at Newtown Cross Roads and continue forward along the R430 to The Swan. Just outside The Swan Village, traffic will turn right onto the R426 and continue to Timahoe Village. Traffic will continue through Timahoe village on the R426 towards Money Cross. At Loughteague Lane, traffic will turn right onto L78354. Traffic will proceed to parking by turning right off the L7837 and proceeding to the car parks

Parking:

Patrons travelling this route will park in GREY car park, which is off the right hand side of the R427 adjacent to the site.