REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS AT BALLINABRACKEY
Tá lúcháir mhór orm go bhfuil mé ábalta bheith anseo libh inniu. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl díbh as an chuireadh agus as fáilte a bhí caoin, cneasta, agus croiúil.
It’s good to be here with you in Ballinabrackey for the National Ploughing Championships. My thanks to Anna Marie McHugh and the National Ploughing Association for inviting me once again to officially open what is surely one of Ireland’s premier events. My thanks also to you all for the warm and generous welcome.
For ten years I was an adopted citizen of County Meath and so I take a particular pride in the fact that Meath is this year’s host county - the first time the Ploughing Championships have come to Meath since they were founded over seventy years ago. And what a fantastic show Meath has put on with almost 500 acres accommodating over 600 trade exhibition stands from home and abroad, millions of euros worth of machinery, livestock exhibitions, ploughing competitions, traditional rural craft demonstrations like spinning and wool making, displays of cutting edge new technology, the best of Irish fashion, plenty of home made farm produce, live entertainment, an audience of thousands and an atmosphere you have to be here to appreciate. So not a lot happening then is there!
This is where the traditional relaxed Irish Fair Day – the Aonach meets the most sophisticated modern Business Fair. This is where more than 150,000 men, women and children will meet and mingle over the next three days. They will have looked forward to this event for months and they will take away from it everything from new friendships to new farm machinery.
But the art and science of ploughing is the heart of the Championships and it is right that the focus should be on an activity which we know from the excavation of the Céide fields in Mayo has been going on in Ireland for over five thousand years. Today ploughing still plays a critical role in farming and successful food production is still very much dependent on the skill and expertise of ploughman or ploughwoman.
It is a matter of record that the first ploughing competition was held in 1931 after two friends argued over which county had the best ploughmen. The creation of a contest was a sensible and practical way of proving who was right and from that small beginning we now have over 300 competitors from the four corners of this island in 17 National ploughing competitions and better again nineteen of the competitors are women. I suppose I should be unbiased and say I hope the best “man” wins – forget it!
I am sure I speak for everyone here in wishing each and every competitor the very best of luck over the coming days. Two lucky competitors will be selected to represent this country in the World Ploughing Contest to be held in Northern Ireland next year and another will be chosen to compete in the European Contest. Competing on behalf of your country at world or European level is the ultimate accolade and whoever is chosen takes to those competitions the pride and the goodwill of the Irish people. We know they will make fine ambassadors for farming Ireland for undoubtedly it was the many successes of their predecessors which played a major part in the decision to hold the World Ploughing Contest in Northern Ireland in 2004 and again in Carlow in 2006.
The organisation this event requires is monumental. The team responsible for it deserves our thanks for all they have done to make this show impressive and memorable, fun and friendly. There are too many fantastic workers to name them all but I know you’ll forgive me for making special mention of Peter and Mark Moore and their neighbour George Cave who have so generously made their farms available for this prestigious event. Neighbouring farmers and the entire local community also deserve our thanks for they have also given considerable and invaluable support. All those involved in whatever way in putting this mammoth show together have some idea of the many headaches and problems they face - or what we call today - challenges. They met them all head on with the spirited mix of enthusiasm and expertise which characterise the Ploughing Championships. They put their hearts and hands into these three days and into countless days of preparation. They do it because they care about farming and they care about Ireland. They want Ireland’s pride in its farming community to be showcased at its absolute best. I am sure you agree with me that judging from all that we can see around us there is a serious possibility that the 2003 Ploughing Championships will be the best yet and I have great pleasure now in declaring them officially open. Have a great time.
Go maire sibh. Go raibh maith agaibh.