Make your mark

Cavan and Monaghan hold the flag high for their counties at the Ploughing

Even though there is no Eircode, there is no way of missing it: The National Ploughing Competition brings wellies, tractors, sheep, stainless steel, chips, music and mud together for three entertaining days.

Screggan in Offaly became Ireland’s agricultural capital. This year, the Ploughing drew 243,000 visitors, more than 1,700 exhibitors and 380 competitors in 34 classes from across the country. And among the crowds and machinery, there were 18 contestants in total from Cavan and Monaghan - with young Lorcan Deery from Monaghan winning his first ever competition – more about him later.

Businesses from both counties were showcasing everything from sheep technology to specialist engineering and vehicle accessories – and in Marty Mone’s case: hugs for fans. For many it’s a day between banter and business cards. It’s a day out – mostly one involving a good pair of wellies and a packed picnic.

Sheep, sensors and the desire to die

For David Beattie, farming is, in his words, “Addictive, a great way of life, hard work, enjoyable, non-profitable. Maybe profitable sometimes, as [my wife] Orla says.”

It is his second year exhibiting at the Ploughing. In the so-called Sheep Tunnel he is presenting the company’s prime product directly to the farmers who are most likely to use it. The Sheep Guardian Collar, developed by David and his brother Robert is designed to warn farmers if something unusual is happening to their sheep.

“It’s a warning device in the case of a dog attack, it’ll notify that your sheep are being attacked.”

The sensor detects unusual movement, such as being ferried off or leaving a specified geo fenced area.

For anyone tempted to take up sheep farming after being enchanted by the sweet ‘baas’ of the bouncy lambs, David had some encouragement: “Absolutely. It’s actually the easiest type of farming to establish, once you have grass. Anybody, even with a big enough lawn can keep a few sheep.”

There is, however, one small catch. “The work that’s involved in sheep,” David laughed, and the kicker, “I suppose sheep’s desire to die is another one that’s underrated,” he says, pointing out the sometimes ludicrous behaviour of sheep.

Meanwhile in the Local Enterprise Offices tent, Monaghan business owner Norman Clarke was showing his popular towbar guard. “Hitching on a trailer, the smallest mistake can be very expensive,” he knows.

Norman is the owner of A-Bars Ireland, a Monaghan-based manufacturer of stainless-steel vehicle accessories for vans, 4x4s and trucks. The Ploughing gives businesses such as A-Bars Ireland the opportunity to meet customers face-to-face, demonstrate products and put their work in front of a huge agricultural audience.

Nearby, Cavan inventor William Ebbitt was also enjoying plenty of interest. William developed a hydraulic lift designed to help people enter and exit agricultural machinery. “Just giving people a bit of support, who struggle to climb up and down.”

With the farming population aging, his invention sparks interest among the passersby.

A boot full of freebies

For Sophie Bell, a third-generation dairy heifer contract-rearing farmer, content creator, and agricultural advocate for young farmers, the Ploughing has been a yearly fixture for as long as she can remember.

“I think we’ve been to the Ploughing throughout my childhood and growing up. Definitely been a lot more loyal over the past few years now that I’m older. But I’ll always remember it was such a big event even when I was a child.”

Experience has taught her to be prepared: “I’d definitely bring the wellies and a good picnic in the boot of the car. It sets you up for the day, and it’s great to head out to the car park for a minute and drop off the freebies that you get.”

Sophie describes the Ploughing as “busiest time of the year”.

Rather than taking a day off from work, the Virginia farmer organises meetings with people from the industry.

“You go out and have a chat with them and get some information that you might need for the farm, like an advisor or financial advisory.”

Sophie uses her active social media presence to advocate for young farmers and publicise their challenges. Thinking of mounting pressures to the CAP budget, and likely changes within the subsidies programme she warns “we need really need to look after that generation coming forward and making sure that they’re well equipped”.

Precision, patience and four hours on the clock

Away from the corridors of towering lifts, forks, tents and tyres, actual ploughing is taking place out in the fields. A few minutes’ walk over scrunching stubble leads to neatly outlined corridors of machinery, each ready to work the ground.

“Not too dry, not too many stones,” Maeve Finnegan assessed before starting into her opening row. It was her first time taking part in the Ploughing in the Novice class. “We have half an hour for our opening, and then we have to wait for the judging of the opening to happen. Then we’ll go back and take into the actual ploughing.”

The contestants have four hours to plough their 16meter wide plot. Admittedly, at home it wouldn’t take Maeve that long.

“No, you’d put the plough down and you’d drive on, and you’d have the job done. But no, it has to be a bit more precise here today.”

Competitors must keep the furrow as straight as can be, with widths ranging between 24-28cm.

A few plots further, Padraig Deery holds a tape measure across the first furrow after his son started the second row. Lorcan looks back through the cockpit window. They exchange a few words, then Lorcan slowly drives on, the front wheel in the first furrow, inching forward, while Padraig keeps a strict eye on the line. After twelve years competing and winning titles, Padraig knows what judges will be looking for: Straight, neat and tidy.

“He’s doing good, he’s doing good,” says his grandfather - a tad nervous.

John Deery is proud to have so many of his family involved. His daughter Joanne is competing on a field beside in the Farmerette class. As chairman of the National Ploughing Association, John’s job is to mingle with people and represent the agricultural society that shaped the inter-county contest into the biggest agricultural show in Ireland.

Its mission statement reads that the contest should spread “the message of good ploughing to all parts of the country and to provide a pleasant and friendly place to meet and do business.”

The wins for Lorcan (Novice), Eoin Hand (U40 Horse Plough), Stefano Howell (Loy U21), second place for Padraig Kelly (Macra Furrow) and thirds for Noel Hand (Senior Horse Plough) and Thomas Tierney (Loy Senior), along with the performances of the other dozen competitors, held the flag high for ploughing in Cavan and Monaghan.

And wellies weren’t needed this time after all.