The importance from a cultural, sporting and commercial perspective of the National Ploughing Championships which are being held over three days this week cannot be over-estimated.
More than 150,000 people, mainly from rural Ireland, are expected to attend the event which has become something of an extended national holiday for farmers, their families and many others involved in Ireland's largest indigenous industry.
Its status was best characterised by the President, Mrs McAleese, when she officially opened the event at Ballinabrackey, near Kinnegad, in Co Meath yesterday. The championships, she said, were where the traditional relaxed Irish Fair Day - the Aonach - meets the most sophisticated modern business.
She referred to the art and science of ploughing which lies at the heart of the championships and said it was right that there should be such focus on an activity which we know - from the excavations at the Céide Fields in Mayo - has been going on for more than 5,000 years.
Ploughing continues to play a critical role in farming and successful food production. Nor has the intensification of agriculture detracted from the skill and expertise of ploughmen and ploughwomen.
The National Ploughing Championships began in 1931 - as a bet between two friends as to who was the best ploughman. Their growth over the last 15 years in particular has been phenomenal.
Apart from the large number of ploughing enthusiasts, attendance at the event is now an imperative for major State departments with a message to deliver; for political parties seeking fertile ground for recruitment and electioneering; and for commercial interests plying their wares.
The logistical challenges involved, not least as a result of the Irish climate, are immense and fall annually to Mrs Anna May McHugh, the indefatigable managing director of the National Ploughing Association, and her large team of voluntary workers, who ensure the event runs smoothly.
Assistance is rendered by supporters from a wide range of other organisations including the GAA, farm bodies and other cultural and sporting groups.
The net result - the largest ploughing championships in the world and one of the biggest outdoor farming events in Europe - is a distinctively Irish gathering. And in reflecting the most positive face of a sector confronted by difficulties on so many fronts, it gives some cause for confidence for the future.