THIS weekend sees all roads lead to Kilmeen for the 2025 Cork West County Ploughing match.
There was a large crowd in attendance last week as the Kilmeen Ploughing Association launched the County Ploughing match, which is to be held on March 9th in Rossmore. Club officers John Keohane (chairperson), John A O’Donovan (vice chair), Gerard Collins (secretary), and James Coakley (treasurer) were all in attendance.
This will be the club’s 85th ploughing match, making it one of the oldest clubs in West Cork. The official start time for ploughing on the day will be 11am, and the ploughing will finish up at 3pm. According to the organisers, it’s a perfect family day out for any outdoors or farming enthusiasts with over 35 competitors expected on the day. There will be a hospitality tent and John Daly’s mobile catering in attendance to keep the hunger at bay.
There will be great talent on show as the world champion Jer Coakley and European reversible champion Liam O’Driscoll with both be ploughing on the day. The Five-Nations reversible champion Michael Wycherly will also be ploughing in Rossmore.
Entries are by phone or text to club secretary Gerard Collins on 087-7751001 by Friday evening, March 7th. The match is taking place on the lands of John and Declan Buttimer, Gearagh, Rossmore, Eircode P85 Y319. Kilmeen Ploughing also wish to thank their sponsors, who have been very generous in making this event happen.
Kilmeen Ploughing Association has a great history of ploughing with many of its members having won All-Ireland titles over the years. All classes of ploughing will be on view on the day from the oldest form of ploughing – loy digging and horse ploughing – all the way through to the most modern form: reversible ploughing. The Kilmeen club currently has national champions in both of these classes with Adrian Grace in the Loy Digging and Eugene O’Donovan in the Novice Reversible Ploughing. Results will be in the Winning Post, Rossmore later in the evening.
