Offaly's economy showcased at Ploughing Championships

More than 275,000 people are expected to have attended the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, close to Tullamore in Co Offaly, by their conclusion today.

The three-day event is estimated to be worth over €50 million to the economy and, locally, it has huge benefits, putting Offaly and the midlands region firmly on the map.

On Sunday evening, Clara's Shane Lowry put the county in the headlines after he won the Irish Open at Doonbeg in Co Clare.

On Tuesday, political leaders, the country's media and over 77,000 people descended on the site for the first day of the Ploughing Championships.

"Our accommodation will be 100% full for four days this week, and in the surrounding 30-40 miles it will be the same," explained Philip O'Brien, General Manager of the Tullamore Court Hotel.

"It's not just this week either, from eight to ten weeks before the ploughing, demand for accommodation is building with workers getting the site ready," he said.

"They're stopping off in local shops, getting their snacks, their lunch, their dinner, it has a huge knock-on effect," he added.

The ploughing is a massive operation, with over 2,000 temporary staff; volunteers and stewards required to host the championships.

Hundreds of gardaí are involved in the logistical part of the operation to ensure those travelling to and from the event can do so safely and without delay.

"Everyone needs to be fed before 6am this week," said Mr O'Brien.

"They all have their jobs to do, whether it be judging, officiating or directing traffic, so our job is to make sure they're fed and out the door as soon as possible in the morning.

"Then in the evenings, you are feeding the masses again.

"During the ploughing, we're feeding around 200 a night, when normally it would be a fraction of that."

Even after the ploughing ends, the event brings visitors to the region.

"They're from the farming community and their off season is coming up now shortly, so they're already asking us about offers or upcoming concerts.

"It really does have a knock-on effect," Mr O'Brien said.

Over the three days of ploughing, the 730-acre site is turned into a pop-up town.

There are over 2,000 trade stands, which is a massive opportunity for businesses from across the country and county to showcase their offerings.

For the host county in particular, it's a chance to put Offaly in the shop window.

"It's a great honour to have it in Offaly again this year and there are a number of ways in which it benefits the county," said Orla Martin, Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office.

"It shows, first of all, how central we are, the easy access, the road network and the infrastructure we have in the middle of the country.

"It's also hugely important in the area of accommodation and hospitality, in the run up to and during the event.

"Even within the town, there's an increased spend during the week from those who've been working out on site.

"Then you have the Experience Offaly Pavilion that's funded by Offaly County Council, and that gives an opportunity for over 20 businesses to take stands."

From soap-makers and bakers to artists, foragers and food producers, there is something for everyone.

"We prioritise the pavilion for food, crafts and products that are designed or manufactured in Offaly," said Ms Martin.

"We also have stands on Offaly Tourism too and there are a number of volunteers there to give out information and all that's available in Offaly.

"We have a stand on economic development too, to show what we're doing in Offaly.

"There's great strengths in green energy and battery storage, and high-end green technology projects."

There are other benefits too, according to Ms Martin.

"It's a great opportunity for small businesses to showcase the products and to talk directly to potential customers and to get feedback on the spot.

"It also builds business connections between the different exhibitors, and we find that a number of them might be speaking to each other, and are looking at working on different collaborations or new projects."

Local support has always been vital for the smooth running of National Ploughing Championships (NPA) and as Anna Marie McHugh, NPA assistant manager director, said, it takes a community to run a ploughing match.

As this year's event draws to a close, the focus will turn to next year and what community will play host to and benefit from what is one of the biggest outdoor events in Europe.