Ploughing Association thankful for local support

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Dan Dooner

The Roscommon Ploughing Association has expressed its thanks to all those who have helped make this year’s event possible.

Speaking at the launch on Thursday last in Rattigan’s Pub, Treasurer Martina Beirne thanked this year’s hosts, the McDermotts, adding that it was important that funding and financial contributions were put back into the community.

She said the committee was engaging with local businesses and thanked them for their support, urging those present to “please support the businesses who support us”.

The aim of this year’s championships, she said, was to send Roscommon representatives forward for All-Ireland competitions while keeping the event itself “low-cost for families to enjoy”.

She said it was important to maintain the traditional side of what is the first agricultural event of the year and highlighted Gerry Browne’s garden exhibit this Sunday.

The treasurer said it was important to encourage new participants while involving younger people and creating a better gender balance. She said she had also written to businesses personally in order to highlight what is on offer this weekend.

On behalf of the committee, Martina Beirne thanked Rattigan’s Pub for hosting the launch and for their financial support as well as association members, volunteers, stewards and those in the local community for their help ahead of Sunday’s event.

Variety of classes this Sunday

There are a number of competitive classes in store at this Sunday’s Roscommon Ploughing Championships and Field Day in Holywell, Derrane.

Event PRO Annmarie Lambert detailed some of the classes on offer at last week’s launch, which include horse ploughing, tractor ploughing and loy ploughing championships.

Classes include: Open and Confined Horse; 2 Furrow Junior (Open and Confined); 2 Furrow Senior (Open and Confined); U-21 (Open and Confined); U-28 (Open and Confined); Farmerette (Open and Confined); 3 Furrow Standard; 3 Furrow Senior; Vintage 2 Furrow Mounted (Open and Confined); Vintage 2 Furrow Trailer (Open and Confined); U-21 Loy (Open and Confined); Senior Loy (Open and Confined); Junior Loy (Open and Confined); Best Furrow and Middle (Open and Confined); Reversible Competition.

All events will take place on the lands of the McDermott family at Holywell, Derrane, Co. Roscommon.