THE most difficult thing about competing in the National Ploughing Championships can be qualifying to get out of West Cork in the first place, because the standard here is so high!

That’s the consensus of the local plough men and women who enjoyed incredible success at the competition last week, across all categories.

The O’Driscoll family from Kilbrittain, fondly regarded as ploughing royalty, were an even stronger force to be reckoned with than usual, with the next generation getting behind the wheel.

Dad Liam is no stranger to making headlines and holds multiple All Ireland, World and European titles, but last week daughter Laoise, who’s nearly 17, competed for the first time and came first in the novice reversible.

Top-placed Kevin O’Driscoll in his Massey Ferguson 5711 last October at the Clonakilty ploughing match. (All photos: David Patterson)

‘Ever since I was small I’ve been watching dad ploughing and I’ve being going to the All Irelands so I couldn’t wait to get going myself. I started training myself the day I got my tractor licence last October with dad as my coach, which makes it extra enjoyable, spending time together. I was the only female in my class last week and to win was absolutely amazing!’ said the 5th year student in St Brogan’s, Bandon.

Making it a real family affair, her mum Caroline also competed for the first time in the horse ploughing category, where she came joint fourth in the U40 class.

Caroline and her two friends Séad Ní Mhaoilmhia, Kinsale and Claire O’Rourke, Timoleague, also newcomers, only decided to give it a go after a night out last Christmas.

‘Patrick O’Donovan from Timoleague suggested we should try the horse ploughing, and pointed us in the direction of a plough which we got from Richard White, whose father had ploughed with it, and which others had previously had All Ireland success with,’ said Caroline.

‘It’s 100 years old and hadn’t been used for a while though so there were lots of late nights in the shed with Liam trying to get it going before we could ever start ploughing,’ she recalled.

Finding suitable horses was another challenge they had to overcome, but the trio, who know each other through Carbery Pony Hunt Club, were determined.

Claire O’Rourke, Timoleague, with Larry and Jeff.

‘Working horses are hard to come by,’ said Caroline. ‘Eventually we got twocobs, Larry and Jeff from our coach JJ Delaney from Macroom, and played with them for the summer at home, and we took part in two ploughing matches before going to Tullamore.’

It was an incredible amount of work, that required huge determination and dedication from the three women, who are delighted their efforts have meant so much to so many.

‘So many older people are getting a new lease of life from seeing us do this which is great,’ said Caroline. Séad, from Kinsale, said they were hooked on horse ploughing after Tullamore, where the support was incredible.

‘There was something really magical about the experience,’ she said. ‘We heard so many beautiful stories about horse ploughing from older generations and we’re so delighted to try and keep the skill of horse ploughing going, and to pass it on to the next generation.’

Claire agreed it was Trojan work, but all worthwhile. ‘Everyone got behind us. It was an amazing week, and such great camaraderie. There’s just something so noble, willing and calm about the horses and working the land and I’d really encourage others to think about giving it a go,’ she said.

Liam, who is headed to the north of Ireland to compete in ploughing championships there this weekend, said he was very proud of Caroline and Laoise.

Not just that, he’s also very proud of the strong ploughing tradition in West Cork.

‘I think it comes down to the fact that every generation is conscious of holding on to the legacy and not allowing standards to drop,’ he said.

Liam, Caroline, and Laoise O’Driscoll; Laoise was the winner in the Novice Reversible class in her recent maiden outing at the National Ploughing.

Meanwhile, another strong West Cork performance came from Gerard Kirby who secured second place in the intermediate conventional on day one, which qualified him for the next day’s senior class where he performed well.

From Ballinascarthy, he’s a member of Clogagh Ploughing Club and said the fact that there’s eight clubs in West Cork helps to keep standards high in the region.

‘It’s actually difficult enough to get out of West Cork at all,’ he said, adding that nearly all classes in Tullamore had a local competitor. He’s following in the tradition of his father John, who won an All-Ireland ploughing title in 1991 in the three-furrow class, and who now coaches Gerard.

And for anyone who is inspired to plough competitively, here’s what Liam says is needed: ‘A good level head, serious concentration and being able to drive bullet straight!’

The West Cork contingent came home with four gold medals, two silver, and four bronze: Laoise O’Driscoll, 1st in the Novice Reversible Class; Ellen Nyhan, 1st in the Farmerette Class; Gordon Jennings, 1st in the Single Furrow Class; Kevin O’Driscoll, 1st in the 3-Furrow Conventional Class; Gerard Kirby, 2nd in the Intermediate Conventional Class; Leonard Deane, 2nd in the Novice Conventional Class; Katie Hayes, 3rd in the U21 Conventional Class; Florence Wycherley, 3rd in the U28 Reversible Class; Jer Coakley, 3rd in the Senior Reversible Class; and Leslie Wolfe, 3rd in the Vintage Classic Class.