Ten must-haves and must-dos for National Ploughing ChampionshipsYou must see the ploughing competitions themselves. Like going to Paris and not viewing the Eiffel Tower, it’s very close to a sin Thu, 10 Sep, 2026 – 07:15Denis Lehane
1. Must have a wallet.
Going to the ploughing without your wallet, would be like going to the ploughing without your trousers.
In spite of what you might think, in spite of what you have planned, you are going to spend my friend, and spend big.
Take the cheque book too. And don’t be afraid of the bounce. We will worry about that another day.
2. Must take sandwiches.
It’s a tradition. So get up early on the morning of the ploughing and make a wagon load of sandwiches.
You can boil the eggs and ham the night before.
Make sure you get the spreadable butter; that way they will be all the soggier by the time you arrive in Screggan.
3. You must take the family.
I know you might be tired of the family, but like with Fred Flintstone or Homer Simpson, they come as part of the package.
Yerra, the ploughing is all about family. Your days of drinking hard in the beer tent and eying up the talent are all behind you now.
Take the family and be thankful they are willing to go with you, you grumpy old sod.
4. Must meet a neighbour.
As sure as rains falls on ploughed ground, the first person you will meet once inside the gate in Tullamore will be your neighbour.
And as sure as oilskin keeps the rain off your back, you will spend a good half hour talking about the things you could just as easily talk about back at home.
Bumping into your next-door neighbour as soon as you get into the field, in spite of there being about 80,000 people already there, is what makes the Ploughing Championship so fecking great.
5. Must get something for free.
While the ploughing is all about spending, and spending big, look out for freebies too.
There is nothing more satisfying than coming home with something that didn’t cost you a penny. Whether it’s a paper hat or a colourful wristband that you got just for just being you.
The best things in life might not be free, but there is no harm in looking out for something free that will give you that ploughing glow.
6. Must be prepared for rain.
Just like Noah, be prepared for a deluge.
At this stage, the ploughing without rain would be like having a cigarette without a light.
So bring your wellingtons; in fact, don’t take them off.
Just come as you are; it’s not as if you’re stepping into the unknown.
All you are doing is stepping onto familiar ground.
7. Must take your time.
There is no point in rushing. Only fools rush in, and any man who starts sprinting as soon as he enters the ploughing fields of Screggan is a proper fool.
The things in abundance at the ploughing, are time and portaloos, so make good use of both, particularly when you arrive.
Relax. Plan your day. There will be plenty of time for running around the place when you return home to find everything gone to hell in a handcart.
8. Must see the ploughing.
I can never understand anyone who goes to the ploughing and doesn’t see the ploughing.
Like going to Paris and not viewing the Eiffel Tower, it’s very close to a sin.
Look at the ploughing, admire the world-class competitors doing what most of us cannot do.
It’s a skill that has put Ireland on the map.
9. Must meet a celeb.
Yerra, if you don’t meet a celeb at the ploughing, you really weren’t there at all.
It’s avoiding celebs at the ploughing that can be the harder task.
10. Must enjoy the day.
There is no point in going to the ploughing if you don’t enjoy yourself.
Like going to a pub without having a drink, or going to mass without having communion, let your hair down.
The Ploughing, like Christmas, only comes once a year.
So enjoy the event, for ’tis powerful.
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