‘You can never underestimate just how much people love our Clonakilty samples. We usually bring around 20,000 samples of pudding with us to satisfy fans at the three-day event.’
That’s according to Julie Richardson of Clonakilty Food Co which has been a regular at the National Ploughing Championships for over 30 years.
ADVERTISEMENT
‘Our Ploughing set-up has grown over the years. For the past 10 years we’ve had a large branded 15m marquee designed to welcome visitors, showcase our range of products and, of course, serve up plenty of samples,’ said Julie.
There’s a huge amount of preparation that happens behind the scenes before the gates even open, she said. ‘From stand design and logistics to staffing, stock, cooking equipment, signage, uniforms and promotional materials, there’s a lot to coordinate.
We have a large team on the ground throughout the event, with staff from different areas of the business helping to make it all happen and the key is making sure we have enough stock for three very busy days,’ she said.
Their offers, samples and giveaways are always hugely popular.
‘There’s something about getting a little Clonakilty freebie at the Ploughing that people really enjoy, particularly when they’re also getting the chance to taste the products.
We’ve had plenty of occasions where stock or giveaways have disappeared much quicker than anticipated, despite all the planning that goes into estimating what we’ll need!’ she said.
There’s a ‘buzz’ around the event that’s unique, she said.
‘Seeing the crowds arrive, meeting loyal customers and watching people enjoy our food is a great feeling. Also we love seeing our Clonakilty cooler bags on the shoulders of our customers across the show for the three days.’
The weather, of course is one thing they can’t control: ‘You can arrive in sunshine and be dealing with wind and rain a few hours later, so you have to be prepared for everything.
Back in 2018, Storm Ali decided to make an unexpected appearance at the National Ploughing Championships and our Clonakilty stand was unfortunately caught in the middle of it.
The storm caused significant damage across the site, with plenty of stands taking a battering, including ours. As a result, the Ploughing had to close on the Thursday while the organisers worked to assess and repair the damage.
It was the first time in the event’s history that the Championships had to be cancelled for a day due to extreme weather. But, in true Ploughing fashion, the show had to go on!
The decision was made to reopen on the Friday, meaning our team, who thought they were heading home, suddenly found themselves staying on for the full week and getting the Clonakilty stand back up and running for one final day.’
Cal McCarthy of Carbery PlasticsCARBERY Plastics, based in Clonakilty, has had a presence at the Ploughing Championships every year for around a quarter of a century – and this year they are doubling the space they’re taking.
Cal McCarthy and the team start planning the logistics of their exhibition at the event months in advance. ‘We usually send an arctic truck load of product a week beforehand and then a smaller van of parts, accessories, marketing material on the Monday beforehand for final set-up,’ he said.
The company is planning an even bigger presence this year: ‘We usually go with 9m x9m space, but this year we have doubled the size as we have two new products on display – our 20,000-litre water and liquid fertiliser tank and a 2,500-litre underground tank,’ he said.
Naturally there are benefits to such an effort to represent the business at the ploughing championships.
‘We find it beneficial as a manufacturing company selling business to business as it’s our one opportunity to meet the end user of our products from all walks of life, not just agriculture because it really has become a national exhibition,’ he said.
‘As a team we really look forward to it, it’s a high point of the year even if it’s busy – it’s a great place to test the mettle of a new sales person! And usually we get to take a walk around after 4pm each evening when the crowd quietens down,’ he added.
The weather of course is a huge factor in making or breaking the event. ‘A dry ploughing week is a fantastic occasion but a wet one is tough work!
We have been blessed the last few years. I think 2018 was the most memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Due to severe winds we lost our marquee and a lot of smaller equipment. We had to purchase a new marquee in an emergency – that was an extra-long ploughing week that we hopefully won’t see a repeat of.’
For Bank of Ireland, the ploughing is a great opportunity to engage with our existing customers and potential new customers.
That’s according to Maire McCarthy, West Cork branch manager who said ‘the event is very sociable with most of the discussions focusing on the farming topics of the day.’
‘Weather and drought and what Bank of Ireland can do to help is sure to be top of minds this year.
We stand ready to support all our customers who need us during this time. I will be in attendance along with the bank’s agri team so we would be delighted for farmers to call in for a chat about all things West Cork,’ she said.
The bank looks after the logistics of the trade stand. ‘All I have to do is turn up with my wellies, coat and a smile and away we go!
In many ways working at the ploughing is like a normal working day as I’ll be meeting people from all parts and discussing everything from the weather to drought to banking and Mayo! We might even have a chat about our own hurling famine!’ said Maire.
She really enjoys the three-day event: ‘I love the social aspect of it where I get to meet our customers in a very relaxed and informal environment.
The amount of talking I do dictates how much of the event I get to see but I do try to get around to other stands to meet up with friends and acquaintances from the across the industry.’
Stand-out memories are, like most people, weather related: ‘Torrential rain turned the Bank of Ireland tent at the Ploughing Championship into an unexpected indoor swimming pool a few years back. Despite everyone’s best efforts, the roof decided it preferred ‘open-plan’ architecture, with leaks appearing faster than umbrellas could be deployed.
Staff stayed cheerful, visitors stayed damp, and the coffee became the only thing keeping everyone afloat.
A memorable day, certainly!’
This article was featured in our West Cork Farming 2026 magazine – you can read the full magazine here!
