Author: National Ploughing Association

In thirteen weeks’ time, the National Ploughing Championships (September 18^th – 20^th), Europe’s largest outdoor event, returns to Offaly and small businesses from all over the country are getting ‘ploughing-ready’ thanks to the Local Enterprise Offices.

Under plans for the ‘Local Enterprise Village’, launched today (June 20^th) by the Minister for Trade, Employment and Business Pat Breen T.D., Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are helping 30 small businesses and start-ups launch products and services to the thousands of visitors expected at the three-day event. 291,500 people, a record-breaking number, attended the National Ploughing Championships in 2017.

Minister Breen met several Local Enterprise Village entrepreneurs at a LEO-run training day in the Crowne Plaza in Blanchardstown today, where they were learning about business development, product marketing and how to secure more sales for their small business.  A second training day is taking place later in the month in Limerick.

Minister Breen said: “The Local Enterprise Office network is a key pillar in the Government’s support for the growth and development of micro and small enterprises.  By having dedicated supports in place to help small businesses at international events like the National Ploughing Championships, we are promoting trade and driving innovation and export growth for all business sectors across the country. I would encourage all visitors to the National Ploughing Championships in September to pay a visit to the Local Enterprise Village to support Ireland’s start-ups and small businesses. The Local Enterprise Offices are central to the delivery of these dedicated supports, which help build a culture of entrepreneurship and enterprise, delivering jobs in every County in Ireland.”　

Minister Breen was joined at the launch by Oisin Geoghegan, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprise Offices, Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of The National Ploughing Association, Martin Corry of Enterprise Ireland and Paula Butler, Assistant Chief Executive of the Local Government Management Association and representative of the County and City Management Association.

Oisin Geoghegan, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprise Offices said: “As Europe’s largest outdoor event, the National Ploughing Championships are an international showcase for Ireland’s small business sector. To help small businesses get ‘ploughing-ready’, Local Enterprise Offices are providing expert training, marketing and project management support to maximise selling opportunities through the Local Enterprise Village.”

Anna May McHugh, NPA Managing Director said: “It is inspiring that so many small businesses and start-ups will be launching new products and services at this year’s National Ploughing Championships’ at the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ with the support of Local Enterprise Offices.  This is a unique opportunity for these small businesses, with 291,500 visitors in attendance last year, to showcase their companies to the large number of visitors that Ploughing attracts.”

The 30 small companies inside the Local Enterprise Village represent a diverse range of business sectors, such as skincare, fashion, technology, artisan food and drink, sports equipment and horticulture.

More details around the Local Enterprise Village and the supports on offer through the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are available at www.localenterprise.ie.

The 87^th Annual National Ploughing Championships take place from September 18^th to 20^th at Screggan, Tullamore, County Offaly.

The Kildare County Show will take place on Sunday 17th of June at 11.00am in the GAA grounds in Athy, Co Kildare. This will be an action packed day of fun for all of the family including a Food Fayre, Quality Machinery & Cars, a Dog Show, Bubble Soccer, Sheep Dog Trials, Music & Dancing, a Petting Corner and much much more! All accompanied under 14s are free of charge.

The Kildare County Show Society has contributed greatly to the social and economic development of Athy and its hinterland over the past hundred years and intends to continue to do so for many years to come. One of its great strengths has been to grow with changing circumstances, adapting in format and emphasis over the years to meet the demands of modern times and economic circumstances.
 
In recent years its committee has numbered over 50 people giving generously of their time and voluntary effort. This commitment and the ability to provide a relevant and entertaining show has continued to make the Kildare County Show held in the Athy Showgrounds, a very special event for over a century.
 
Background

How it all began
 The show began as the South Kildare Agricultural and Horticultural Show Society, based in Athy, around the beginning of the 20th Century.  To facilitate the show, the early members of the society acquired an area of open space on the east side of Athy comprised of about 20 acres and known ever since then as the Showgrounds. This area already had a number of playing fields on which both Rugby and latterly Gaelic football was played.
The Kildare Show becomes a national event
Things began to improve in 1944 with the foundation of Macra na Feirme in Athy which led to the holding of a Produce Show in the Vocational School in 1946. An outdoor section was added in 1947 and the show was held behind the Railway Bar in Leinster St. The following year, the Kildare Show Society came into its own again, expanded the event and moved it back to the Showgrounds. 
 The show grew to become a very large national two-day event, held during the first or second week in July each year. However, during a period of great difficulty for agriculture nationally in the late 1960s, the show went into decline and ceased altogether in 1971.
The heritage should not be lost
Anna May McHugh, Director of the National Ploughing Association had worked for the Kildare Show in earlier years. She became anxious that the heritage of a show in Athy should not be lost and initiated a public meeting in the Castle Inn, Athy, in the autumn of 1994. This well attended meeting led to the formation of the Kildare County Show Society and the show has continued to me a great success to this date.

Up to 90% of the stand space is booked for this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly from Sept 18^th – 20^th.  This interest in #Ploughing18 is indicative of the success of the event, 15 weeks to go until Europe’s largest outdoor event kicks off preparations are well underway.

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “It is the primary aim of the National Ploughing Association to improve exhibitor and visitor experience to ensure the best possible ‘Ploughing’ for all.   The Exhibition Team in NPA have confirmed that early bookings this year have surpassed previous records which highlights how beneficial it is for businesses, companies and organisations to this epic event.

There is serious worldwide appeal with exhibitors, international buyers and visitors coming from countries such as Turkey, the USA, UK, Germany, India, Poland, Belgium, New Zealand, France, Saudi Arabia, Latvia and the Netherlands all attending.

With record crowds of 291,500 visitors and over 1,700 exhibitors last year and the site in Screggan proving to be a phenomenal success, signals would suggest another ‘great ploughing’ is on the way.”

There will be an array of new exhibitors as well as hundreds of outstanding veteran companies showcasing their products and services in dynamic ways.   The dairy sector will be very well catered for with many new additions.  The very latest models in agricultural machinery will be on display, quality livestock, a Forestry Village, Motor Show, Food Fayre, Hunt Chase, Fashion Shows, Live Music & Dancing, Sheep Dog Trials, an extended Local Enterprise Village with over 80 exhibitors as well as National Baking Competitions, Craft Shows and many topical seminars.  With celebrities and well known faces everywhere Ploughing 2018 is not to be missed.

The popular Innovation Arena is set to make a very welcome return with ground breaking technologies and cutting edge ideas that will amaze.  With a total prize fund to the value of over €80,000 there are only a few weeks left to enter – please see  www.innovationarena.ie.

In the ploughing stakes a particularly strong programme has attracted entries from all around the country and Northern Ireland bringing the number preparing to plough in Offaly over 300 for the 3 days.