Ploughing a furrow for Westmeath for 35 years – literally

He might be best known for representing his county in Leinster House, but Senator Paul Daly has been competing for Westmeath at the National Ploughing Championships for 35 years.

This year Paul, who is the only member of the Oireachtas to compete at the ploughing, is one of a six-strong Westmeath team participating in this year's competition, which for the third year in a row takes place in Screggan, Tullamore and starts next Tuesday September 18.

This year the Westmeath team includes Christopher Carton, who is competing in the Senior competition against the country's best ploughmen, Bernie McCarthy (Farmerette competition), Andrew Ennis (Three Furrow), Jack Kearney (Novice) and Paul Daly and Michael Heeney (Junior).

In the Loy competition, Westmeath will be represented in the Ladies Class by Daila Selstorute and Amy Daly while John Daly will be flying the flag in the Junior Loy.

A national junior champion in 1990, Paul has represented Westmeath at 34 of the last 35 ploughing championships – he missed the 1989 competition as he was in Australia for the year. (Continues below photo.)

Paul Daly from Kilbeggan competing in the Junior Tractor Class at the National Ploughing Championships in Ballacolla, County Laois in October 1995.

He says that the standard has risen significantly in recent times.

“It's like everything. You could compare it to the football. At the top Eamon Treacy won the world championship last week for Ireland and he is the standard bearer. It's like Dublin football team, he is at top pushing things forward and it's up to us to try and catch up.”

While he has travelled around the country representing Westmeath in the ploughing championships, for the last three years he has only had to travel a few miles across the Offaly border from his Kilbeggan home.

“This year was unique. We had the Westmeath County Championship in Kilbeggan and the All-Ireland is down the road in Tullamore so I won't have had to travel more than 10 miles to compete. It doesn't happen very often.”

The Westmeath team is small this year, but Paul says that he and his team mates are always proud to represent their county at national competition.

“It's is the pinnacle [for ploughmen and ploughwomen]. All the matches are used to qualify or else to practise for the National Ploughing Championships. Whatever you're doing, it's an honour to represent your county. Not everyone gets the opportunity.”

Senator Paul Daly and JP Lynam, Westmeath Ploughing Association, making a presentation to Anna May McHugh, MD of the National Ploughing Association, at Tyrrellspass Castle following the Westmeath ploughing championships in March of this year.