MORE THAN 150,000 people are expected to visit the National Ploughing Championships at Cuffesgrange, Co Kilkenny, over the next three days, with Taoiseach Brian Cowen one of the expected dignitaries today.
Tánaiste Mary Coughlan is due to formally open the event, which lays claim to being the largest ploughing championships in the world and one of the largest agricultural outdoor events in Europe.
Virtually the entire Cabinet will attend over the next three days, along with the leaders of all the main political parties. The event, featuring 900 trade stands and 15km of steel trackway, attracts visitors from every corner of Ireland.
For the first time in many years, though, there will be no Progressive Democrats' stand on the site.
Agri-business is at the core of this annual event which will pump at least €20 million into the local economy and generate millions of euro worth of sales on site.
At least three new tractors and dozens of other new machines are being formally launched this week.
Despite the downturn in the economy, a number of investment companies have already erected their tents, including CEE Investments, a company which promotes agri-business in eastern Europe.
Everything from a bottle of wine to fishnet stockings, a holiday abroad to a chainsaw can be bought from the stands where national associations and authorities, State and private, have set up camp. Alongside the Defence Forces, who are here for the first time, are organisations such as the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, the Irish Sports Council, the Financial Regulator and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The event is financially important enough for Enterprise Ireland to arrange trade delegations from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands to attend, while Canadian and New Zealand companies have also taken trade stands.
One of the major worries for the organiser, the National Ploughing Association, was that cereal crops still unharvested until last week on the two host farms would limit the area available.
However, the better weather last week and over the weekend meant that all the crops were saved and the 600 acres needed to host the event are now fully available for the huge crowds expected.
Just five miles from Kilkenny city, the site has dried up dramatically over the weekend so much so that dust was being blown around here yesterday as the final touches were being put to the stands.
Up to 200 acres of this site has already been pegged out for the 19 all-Ireland ploughing finals and dozens of other ploughing competitions. Competitors from eight countries will be taking part.
The event opens at 9am today. Admission is €20 for an adult, €15 for students and OAPs, children under-12 are free as is car-parking and there are special discounts for sales of 10 tickets or more.
Getting there
Gardaí have warned of traffic disruptions in Kilkenny and adjoining counties over the next three days because of the volumes of traffic generated by the championships.
It has put in place a special plan which involves dividing the traffic into nine separate routes for traffic approaching the site which are well signposted. Traffic restrictions will apply on the roads immediately around the site and will be used for event traffic only.
There are two designated disability car parks at the entrance to the site at Burnchurch and in the purple car park at Gorey's field.
Parking on all roads adjacent to the site is prohibited from 6am to 9pm daily.
For more traffic details see www.npa.ie