National Ploughing Championships returns for first time since 2019
Muireann Duffy
The National Ploughing Championship is back for the first time since 2019 following two years of cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Approximately 300,000 visitors are expected to attend the event being held in Ratheniska, Co Laois over the next three days.
This year's event will also see the staging of the 67th World Ploughing Contest which had been due to be held in St Petersburg, Russia in August.
Twenty-six competitors from countries around the world will take part, including entrants from New Zealand, Canada and Australia.
Competitions will begin on Wednesday and continue on Thursday.
Those travelling to the event are being urged not to use satnav or online navigation systems to plan their route to Ratheniska, with gardaí instead asking motorists to view the event's traffic plan on the Garda or National Ploughing Association's websites.
