Author: National Ploughing Association

Offer Help at the Ploughing Championships 2017

The Citizens Information Service (CIS) and Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) will return to the National Ploughing Championships from 19th – 22nd September to once again offer information and advice to some of the almost 300,000 visitors expected to attend.

The Citizens Information Service will deal with a wide range of queries from visitors to the marquee – focusing in particular on flooding assistance, Farm Assist, Maternity Benefit and income supports for older people. Likewise the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) will help people with concerns over debt issues, and Abhaile, the Free Mortgage Arrears Service which is accessed through MABS, will also be on hand throughout the event to offer help and advice.

Michelle O’Hara, Development Manager, Carlow Citizens Information Service (CIS), who will be attending the Ploughing Championships commented:

“There are 215 Citizens Information Services around the country, resourced with people available to help the citizens of this country with their queries and dilemmas.  No request is too small and the personal service offered at the Citizens Information offices is a vital part of the fabric of our society.  The online service is also very popular with a wide range of terms searched every day.  For example, during August people searched a range of topics

• Irish citizenship through birth or descent
• Fuel Allowance
• Applying for your first Irish passport
• Family Income Supplement
• Minimum rates of pay

This shows the breadth of queries the Service receives over any period.  The Citizens Information Service is a free and confidential service that ensures that all citizens have easy access to good quality information, advice and advocacy. Our objective is to ensure that all citizens are fully aware of their rights and advised and assisted when the need arises to avail of the benefits or allowances to which they are entitled

Clonakilty Food Co. are excited to attend the National Ploughing Championships for another year running. Located at Block 3, Row 32, Stand 662, they promise to bring you lots of excitement over the course of the three days including special offers on their full product range, cooking demonstrations and a chance for you to win a family trip to the idyllic town of Clonakilty.

They will be joined by special guest and friend of Clonakilty, TV3’s chef Joe Shannon, who will be showcasing new ways to ‘Cook with Clonakilty’ so be sure to pop in and sample some of the delectable dishes he’ll be cooking up each day.

If you love Clonakilty Sausages and Clonakilty Blackpudding, you are now in for a special treat. Clonakilty Food Co. have combined two of their best loved products – the traditional flavour of Clonakilty Ispíní mixed with the unmistakable texture and flavour of their famous Clonakilty Blackpudding – to make Clonakilty Blackpudding Sausages which they’ll be sampling at their stand. Clonakilty will of course be also sampling lots of their Clonakilty Blackpudding, Whitepudding, Sausages and Rashers throughout the three days so just follow the sound of the sizzle to find them!

With plenty of attractive offers, exciting giveaways and lots of free samples set to come your way, the Clonakilty Food Co. stand promises to be a fun filled experience for you and the whole family. They look forward to seeing you there!

Trócaire will be bringing a life like replica of a dead camel to the NPC this year. The model drew massive attention at Electric Picnic and will be used to draw attention to the current food crisis in East Africa. This will be a part of a larger activation that will depict an African landscape complete with a small house with working rain water harvesting systems.