Macroom ploughing provides a stern challenge

MACROOM’S annual ploughing match was held on the lands of Denis Murphy, Castleview, Macroom, on Sunday last, January 4th.

The elevated site offered panoramic views of the Lee Valley in many directions. Heavy overnight rain on the previous night left this old lea ground quite greasy and sticky on the surface and this presented a stern challenge to many of the younger competitors.

However most of them coped very well with the challenge and, given the excellent weather conditions on the day, many good banks of ploughing were done.

This combined with a big entry gave the Kerry judges Michael O’Halloran, Thomas Healy, Philip Healy and Donal O’Driscoll a tough evening’s work, marking the score sheets and coming up with the results.

Results:

Senior: 1st John A O’Donovan, 2nd Barry O’Sullivan, 3rd Jim Grace, 4th Jackie O’Driscoll, 5th Stanley Deane.

Intermediate: 1st Kevin ODriscoll, 2nd tie between John Murphy and Geoffery Wycherley.

Under 28: 1st Kieran Coakley, 2nd Gerard Kirby, 3rd Joe Twomey.

Under 21: 1st David Walsh, 2nd Aidan O’Donovan, 3rd Andrew O’Donovan.

Ladies: 1st Siobhan Hennessy.

Senior Reversible: 1st Gerard Coakley, 2nd Michael Wycherley.

Standard Reversible: 1st Niall Towmey, 2nd Dan Hurley, 3rd Padraig Walsh, 4th Jerry Creedon.

3-Furrow Standard: 1st Kevin O’Riordan, 2nd Jason McCarthy, 3rd Matthew Coakley.

Open Hydraulic Vintage: 1st Sean Ryan, 2nd John O’Neill, 3rd tie between Maurice Sheehy and Denis Cummins.

Confined Hydraulic Vintage: 1st Cian Harrington, 2nd Ita Wiseman.

Trailer Vintage: 1st John Wolfe.

Single Furrow: 1st Gordon Jennings.

Local 3-Furrow Beginners: 1st Caroline Creedon, 2nd Celine Casey.

Local 3-Furrow Reversible: 1st Alan Lynch, 2nd Gerard Coakley, 3rd Willie Lyons, 4th Donnacha Butler.

Local 3-Furrow Standard: 1st Paul Creedon, 2nd Daniel F O’Riordan, 3rd Gerard Kelleher, 4th David Wiseman, 5th Fr Pat O’Donovan.

Horse Class: 1st JJ Delaney.

Loy Class: 1st Adrian Grace.

Muskerry Macra Class: 1st Patrick Buckley.

The next fixture is Bandon ploughing, which will take place next Sunday, January 11th, at Kildarra, Bandon.

Champion ploughman JJ Delaney measuring his furrow watched by interested onlookers at the first ploughing competition of the year in Cork West region at Macroom on Sunday. (Photos: Denis Boyle)