National Ploughing Association, Author at National Ploughing Association

Over 30 small companies set to plough for new business at Local Enterprise Village

Posted on 10/08/2022 by National Ploughing Association

Small businesses from across the country will have an opportunity to promote themselves at one of Ireland’s biggest events as part of this year’s Local Enterprise Village at the National Ploughing Championships from the 20-22nd September in Rathiniska, County Laois.

The initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) will see 31 small businesses, one from each LEO, take a stand in the Local Enterprise Village in the heart of the Ploughing Championships, opening their businesses up to almost 300,000 prospective customers across the 3 days of the event.

There will be a variety of products and services on show for the visitors to this year’s Ploughing Championships to enjoy, which includes food, fashion, agtech products, farm safety equipment, spirits, sportswear and even skincare for animals!

The Local Enterprise Village was launched by Damien English, T.D., Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail along with some of the businesses that will be involved including handmade children’s furniture company Lucy & Me, luxury natural skincare and home products Jo Browne and Donegal designer Bernie Murphy.

Minister English emphasised how positive it is to have this opportunity back for small businesses; “The Local Enterprise Village at the Ploughing Championships will showcase the very best of our small business community from across the country. I look forward to joining with almost 300,000 people at the Ploughing and have the opportunity to meet with some of the businesses embedded in our communities and who are the drivers of local economic growth and job creation. Visitors to the Village can expect to see the depth and diversity of amazing small businesses who are supported by Government through their Local Enterprise Office.”

Kieran Comerford, from the Local Enterprise Offices, outlined what a significant opportunity this is for these businesses; “Small businesses very rarely get an opportunity like this and it could be a significant event for them all in the growth of their business. They will be at the very heart of the action at the Ploughing Championships getting the chance to tell their stories and sell their products and services to a massive new audience, an audience that will be excited to be back following a two-year break.

“We have been working with these businesses across the Summer to ensure they maximise this opportunity through sales and marketing training and stand design. The Local Enterprise Village is always a great buzz and no doubt will be one of the big hits for visitors to Ratheniska this September.”

NPA President James Sutton said: “It is wonderful to see that so many diverse and interesting companies will be represented at this year’s National Ploughing Championships’ ‘Local Enterprise Village’. This is a fantastic opportunity for these small local businesses to showcase their products to the 300,000 visitors expected throughout the 3 days.”

The Local Enterprise Village is just one of a number of initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme, National Women’s Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland.

Established in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices are the essential resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or any small business that is looking for support or advice to help them grow. Since their inception eight years ago, the Local Enterprise Offices have helped create over 20,000 jobs across the country. The LEOs work with thousands of client companies across Ireland in a diverse range of sectors offering mentoring, training, expert advice and financial supports to small businesses. For more information see www.LocalEnterprise.ie

For further information:

Declan Lee – Enterprise Ireland – 087 695 7451 / Declan.Lee@enterprise-ireland.com

Darren O’Reilly – Enterprise Ireland – 085 260 9641 / Darren.OReilly@enterprise-ireland.com

LOCAL ENTERPRISE VILLAGE CLIENTS @ NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022

LEO Carlow – Jo Browne – Natural skincare, perfume and interiors
LEO Donegal – Bernie Murphy – Irish designer specialising in clothing and textiles
LEO Fingal – DesignWorks – Portrait photography studio specialising in “Magical” portraits
LEO Kerry – The Busy Botanist – 100% natural pet skincare products “Holistic Hound”
LEO Kilkenny – The Cookie Co-Op – An artisan confectionary company
LEO Longford – Ebroadband Comms – Broadband and fibre broadband company
LEO Louth – Esker Fields – Handmade natural skincare and essential oils
LEO Dun Laoghaire – Rathdown – Mummy Cooks – Portable portion pots and food flasks for small children
LEO Wicklow – Brady’s Coffee – Speciality coffees and teas
LEO South Dublin – Lucy & Me – Handmade wooden furniture and interiors for children’s rooms
LEO Westmeath – DCodeDyslexia – A reading programme to teach dyslexic, and struggling, readers to read
LEO Cavan – GAAWorks.ie – The platform supports players to work and live around home, stay connected with and play for their local Club and County Teams
LEO Clare – Moher Cottage – Irish gift products store
LEO Cork City – Rebel City Distillery – Craft distillery producing gin and absinthe
LEO Dublin City – Concept Dairy – Tech platform bringing price transparency to the dairy supply chain
LEO Galway – Galway Homeopathics – Veterinary products
LEO Kildare – TradeForUs.com – Online platform for Producer Organisations & Farm-to-Farm Livestock
LEO Laois – The Merry Mill – Organic oat manufacturer and retailer
LEO Leitrim – Prime Signs – Safety signs, excavator decals, auctioneer boards, front and back lit letters, temporary and permanent road signs
LEO Limerick – Juspy – An Irish food-tech company that creates lifestyle nutraceuticals for health conscious consumers in a busy world
LEO Mayo – Velvet Cloud – Fresh sheep’s milk yogurt, soft sheep’s milk cheese, semi hard three-month mature sheep’s milk cheese
LEO Meath – Zarasyl – Innovative silicate technology for the management of skin issues for animals
LEO Monaghan – Old Carrick Mill – Small batch distillery making premium gin and irish whiskey
LEO Offaly – Acoustic Interiors – Acoustic Interiors design, manufacture, supply and fit sound insulation and room acoustic treatments to the commercial, educational, entertainment and residential sectors
LEO Roscommon – MegaFab – Agricultural products
LEO Sligo – SUIP Manufacturing – Manufacture of Sprayer Attachment for Ride On Lawnmowers & ATV’s
LEO South Cork – Niamh’s Larder – BKultured Water Kefir is a light, delicious and refreshing fermented drink.
LEO Tipperary – Eco Green Resources – Solar (PV) Photovoltaic for Generating Electricity, Hot Water Heating, Battery Storage, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, LED Lighting Systems
LEO Waterford – Mac Safety Signs – Supply and install display stands into hardware and Agri stores through the country
LEO Wexford – BodiBro – Quarter Zips, Jerseys, Hybrid Jackets, Gilet Jackets, Skinny Track Pants, Socks, Shorts, Leggings, Sport Bra’s, Workout Tops

Ploughing 2022 gearing up to be a roaring success as exhibitor bookings are pouring in.

Posted on 04/08/2022 by National Ploughing Association

Over 80% of the final 2019 outdoor trade exhibition space is already booked. At this stage of the year some categories are completely full, while other areas have limited space available and there are still 7 weeks to go until the big event so based on historical evidence there will definitely be more outdoor bookings over the next couple of weeks – as there always are.

Indoor exhibition stands are 95% of the final numbers when compared to 2019 and again there are bookings still flying in.

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “it is wonderful to see all of the returning exhibitors and to welcome the large volume of new exhibitors who will be partaking at the first ploughing since 2019, we continue to make a determined effort to improve exhibitor and visitor experience alike and again this year will be no exception with 37 km of metal roadways, hundreds of staff making the event a great experience for everyone that passes through the gates over the 3 days.

Returning after a full 3 year gap – and in the aftermath of the most devastating global pandemic in my lifetime – we are back and we are hosting a World Contest on our comeback with international delegations from 28 counties from right around the world and exhibition figures to date on a par with August 3^rd 2019 – I honestly never imagined we could have had such a strong comeback and yet here we are -all credit to our fantastic and loyal exhibitor base.”

Have you got what it bakes?

Posted on 29/07/2022 by National Ploughing Association

The National Brown Bread Baking Competition is back!

The competition, in association with the National Ploughing Association and The Irish Country Women’s Association, has a first prize of €15,000

Do you know someone that has perfected their brown bread baking skills over the past year or perhaps you can rise to the challenge? If the answer is yes, then this is the competition for you!

ALDI will once again sponsor the National Brown Bread Baking Competition, in association with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA) for the 8th year. All finalists will be contacted by Friday August 12th and will be invited to attend the finals from September 20th – 22nd at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois. This year is a special year for the National Ploughing Association as they host the 67th World Ploughing Contest at the event.

The competition will open to all members of the public with entrants invited to drop off their freshly baked bread at one of the following ALDI stores on the prescribed date:

Monday 18th July 09:00- 11:00am

ALDI National Buying Office Naas, Birch House, Millennium Park, Osberstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 YX71.
ALDI Swords, 10 Seatown Rd, Townparks, Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 V2N7.
ALDI Athlone, Golden Island, Ankers Bower, Athlone Co. Westmeath N37 FC04.

Thursday 28th July 09:00- 11:00am

ALDI Macroom, Oakwood, Sleveen East, Macroom, Co. Cork, P12 ER89.
ALDI, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, V42 KD35.
ALDI, Main Street, Gort, Co. Galway, H91 PV44.

Thursday 4th August 09:00- 11:00am

ALDI New Ross, Marshmeadows, New Ross, Co. Wexford, Y34 NP48.
ALDI Castlebar, Lannagh Rd, Garryduff, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 TV29.
ALDI Cavan, Dublin Rd, Tullymongan Upper, Cavan, H91PK29.

ALDI Ireland Group Buying Director, John Curtin said; “At ALDI, we are a proud supporter of Irish suppliers and producers, so we are delighted to sponsor The National Brown Bread Baking Competition once again this year. Last year’s winning product ‘Aisling’s Brown Bread’ has been a great success, and we want to ensure that Ireland’s best bakers have the opportunity to take part in this fantastic competition again this year. We look forward to sampling some of Ireland’s best brown bread in the coming weeks and announcing the winner on September 22nd at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois”

NPA Managing Director, Anna May McHugh, said; “The NPA is delighted that the hugely popular National Brown Bread Baking competition is taking place for the 8th year in a row. Every year the interest grows and the standard escalates with hundreds of entries from all around the country. The National Ploughing Championship returns for the first time since 2019, from September 20th to 22nd with the highly anticipated National Brown Bread Baking winner being announced on the final day – it is not to be missed!”

If you think you have the recipe for success, log onto www.ALDI.ie/brown-bread-competition or www.ica.ie for information on how to enter, full terms and conditions and competition rules.

The winning brown bread will be stocked in all ALDI stores in Ireland for twelve months and the winner will receive a first prize of €15,000.

Keeping You Safe Wristband Initiative

Posted on 14/07/2022 by National Ploughing Association

The hugely successful Ploughing & FBD: Keeping You Safe Wristband Initiative will return for this year's Championships

The Ploughing and FBD: Keeping You Safe child safety wristband project will be an important feature again at this year’s National Ploughing Championships, which will take place in its full entirety for the first time in three years in Ratheniska, Co Laois on September 20th, 21st & 22nd. This important endeavour will involve the distribution of over 40,000 white wristbands at all of the event entrances, which will allow a contact phone number to be written on the band in case the wearer wanders off amidst the large gathering.

“We are delighted to be partnering up with FBD again on this excellent safety concept as all can now rest assured that loved ones will be returned safely in case they wander away in the massive crowds that will be in attendance. With 300,000 visitors expected over the course of the 3 days these wristbands give reassurance and great peace-of-mind to all attending the event and add immensely to visitor experience”, said NPA MD Anna May McHugh.

“A day at Ploughing is a brilliant family day with something of interest for all ages & tastes and children are particularly well catered for with a Playground, Baby Changing Areas, Fun Fair, Pony Games, over 1,000 Animals of all types, Junior Baking Competitions, Sporting Heroes, TV Stars, Sweet & Toy Stands and much more,” she added.

FBD CEO Tomás O’Midheach said “Everyone at FBD Insurance is delighted to return and support Ploughing this year. We are especially pleased to continue our support for the wristband child safety initiative. Over the years, this important initiative has proved incredibly useful in protecting children should they become separated from their parents or

loved ones while attending the largest event in the Irish farming calendar.”

To get the best price and guarantee ticket availability on the day of your choice book now online www.npa.ie. This year there is a new family ticket on offer for 2 adults and 2 secondary school students for the special price of €80. And all children under 12 years of age are free of charge when accompanied by an adult.