Celia Hollman Lee model Brídín Ryan at the launch of the 2018 National Ploughing Championships at Screggan, Tullamore. Picture Jeff Harvey
Accommodation in Tullamore is already at capacity ahead of the National Ploughing Championships, which return to the area this September. The town’s three main hotels — the Court Hotel (103 rooms), the Bridge House (70 rooms), and the Central Hotel (30 rooms) are now fully booked.
A representative from one of the hotels noted that reservations began pouring in almost immediately after Tullamore was announced as the 2025 venue last December. At the Central Hotel, all 30 rooms were booked in a single block.
The surge in demand isn’t limited to the September event. Rooms are also filling fast for the Tullamore Show, set for August 10. Many visitors have already secured accommodation for the night before, with limited availability remaining for the night of the show itself.
Guesthouses in the area are reporting similar trends, with most already booked out for both events.
The National Ploughing Association confirmed that the 2025 Championships will take place in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly on September 16, 17t, and 18. The event returns to the same site that hosted it from 2016 to 2018 which is the farm of the late Joe Grogan. This year, the event will be hosted by his wife, Lisa Flaherty Grogan, with additional land being provided by neighbouring farms to accommodate ploughing competitions and parking.
The three-day event is expected to generate millions for the local economy, particularly benefiting the hospitality sector. It will also require extensive support from local contractors and services, as the build spans over 700 acres.
“We’re excited to return to Offaly,” said NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh. “There will be many of the old favourite elements to_
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