The Ploughing had a fantastic turnout with over 230,000 people attending over the three days last month. The weather cooperated, though there was frantic activity after heavy rain on the Tuesday night to ensure that any areas with pools of water were drained and resurfaced with woodbark to accommodate vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The professionalism and sheer endurance of the National Ploughing Association’s (NPA) voluntary workforce – before, during and after – was quite incredible. The feedback from the machinery industry representatives who exhibited at Screggan was very positive. The outdoor event is the biggest in Europe, with around 1,400 exhibitors. The Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena was a showcase for Ireland’s cutting edge agri-tech innovations and is now recognised as a focus for inventors, entrepreneurs and pioneering machinery developers across the country. What was most impressive was the array of technologically advanced machines on display. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept. It is well embedded in the Irish farm sector, from fertility detection and management to precision farming equipment and everything in between. The Ploughing would not be the Ploughing, without the politicians coming out in droves. This year was no exception, with presidential candidates pressing the flesh, and even 'The Traitors' got in on the act with characters from the successful TV reality show, popping up everywhere and anywhere.
President Michael D Higgins made one of his last public appearances before his term ends in November. He waved regularly as he was ferried through the Screggan crowds. We wish him well in his retirement. His would-be replacement was among the trio of Jim Gavin, Heather Humphries and Catherine Connolly, all meeting and greetings potential voters at the Tullamore venue. While none of them is likely to set the Irish political world on fire, maybe that is not what we should be looking for in a largely impotent titular head of State.
