Silverware for Galway ploughmen

GALWAY ploughmen were to the fore at last week’s National Championships in Ratheniska with six podium finishes including four national titles.

Monivea’s Joe Kelly took first prize in the Vintage Two Furrow Mounted section while just up the road from him, Athenry’s John Small scooped a first for his Loy Digging.

James Kilgarriff from Headford also took a first place in the Special Horse Class while Moycullen’s Michael Burke came out on top in the Best Horse Team Category.

Claregalway’s Gerry Reilly came second in the Senior Horse Class while Seán Gilligan, Colemanstown, took  bronze in the Junior B class.

Galway National Ploughing Association (NPA) Secretary, Maura Canning, told the Farming Tribune that the county was delighted with its success rate at the finals earlier this month.

“I suppose that it was a very different championship in that the general public weren’t allowed to attend because of the Covid restrictions – it was confined to just NPA members over the course of the three days.

“It was also very strange to see no traffic queues, no trade stands and no crowds around the place, but at least we had the ploughing back this year after a complete cancellation last year.

“The big hope for everyone is that next September (20th to the 22nd, 2022), everything will be back to normal and we’ll have the stands, the crowds and the excitement back,” said Maura Canning.

She said that while there was no official celebration of the Galway successes, they were hoping to organise a function – probably in Monivea – over the coming weeks, when restrictions would be further eased.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.

Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.

Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite  HERE.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.