President Michael D. Higgins formally opened the 86th National Ploughing Championships.
In his speech, the President paid tribute to the event organisers, and spoke of the need to address rural depletion and the loss of rural services.
Referencing the Sustainable Development Goals, the President spoke about the importance of balanced rural development, social cohesion and environmental stewartship. The President also called for constructive approaches to new challenges arising out of Brexit.
You can watch the President's speech by clicking on the link below.
For further background about the President's appearances at the annual Ploughing Championships, click here
