Ploughing boss hints at Offaly return but there's a new venue for 2027
Queen of the Ploughing and Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association Anna May McHugh was speaking on the final day of the 2026 National Ploughing Championships at Screggan, just outside Tullamore, Co Offaly
Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association Anna May McHugh has hinted a return to Tullamore as a National Ploughing Championships venue but confirmed the event would move to a new county in 2027.
The 92-year-old Queen of the Ploughing was speaking on the final day of the 2026 National Ploughing Championships at Screggan, just outside Tullamore, Co Offaly, where she spoke to reporter John Gleeson about her highlights from the 2026 edition of the long-standing agriculture show.
Anna May said the weather was one of her favourite parts of Ploughing 2026, saying it was “great that it came in our favourand everyone is going away home happy.”
She also picked out the actual ploughing matches as one of he highlights, adding, “the standard of ploughing was absolutely very high and ploughing competitors were very happy.”
Anna May went on to say: “I think exhibitors were very happy too. I think there was plenty of business done and it’s great to see so many supporters, the number of stands we had, the number of side shows like the fashion show, brown bread baking, government departments, livestock; everyone seems to be very happy.”
“I am delighted with the event,” Anna May remarked, pointing out it is its 95th year, “I’d say it was the best ever that we had.”
Asked for her favourite event, she beamed about the ploughing: “It started with ploughing and I love to be looking at the ploughmen. I was out there looking at all the ploughing competitions over the three days.”
Looking ahead to the 2027 venue, Anna May said: “It’s not Screggan, we have been two years in Screggan and I hope for some future date, we’ll be back here again.”
The Ploughing boss had earlier spoken on Midlands 103 where she said she doesn’t expect the Ploughing to ever leave the Midlands with rumours abound the 2027 event will make the short journey over the border to Kildare. The venue is confirmed on the final day of the ploughing after the announcement of the ploughing match results.
It was first reported in the Leinster Leader several months ago that the Ploughing would be coming to a site near Rathangan in Co Kildare, news confirmed at the Ploughing on Thursday evening.
Laois IFA's Pat Hennessy said the location of the 2027 Ploughing was the "worst kept secret.”
He added that normally the location of the following year's Ploughing is a closely guarded secret until the official announcement at the end of the final day of the current event.
The Ploughing has been hosted at sites in the Midlands for the past number of years and looks likely to stay in the region judging by the comments of Anna May McHugh on Thursday in Tullamore.