National Ploughing Championships

Welcome to the Ploughing Championships 2019 taking place in Ballintrane, Fenagh, County Carlow........ get to know details about the route you are travelling and your designated car park on arrival to the event.

if you are viewing this on a mobile phone, please click on the link below to open the map application. (Please note that the N80 will close from junction with Graiguenaspidogue (L3050) to junction with Killnock (L7110) – from Monday 16th at 10am to Friday 20th at 12noon.)

1. All relevant junction and car park entrances/exits will have appropriate signage and will be controlled by Garda personnel.
2. As N80 is closed to vehicular traffic, patrons must follow a designated route to gain access to the event.
3. Motorway Junction 5, M9 Exit ramps are closed to all motorists for the duration of the National Ploughing Championships.

In the map below, detours are shown in grey solid and grey dashed line. Open the map and click on the detour routes to get detailed information. Zoom into your detour to see details of the route. Please be patient and follow advice of An Garda Siochana.

*Off peak traffic travelling from Carlow to Wexford will continue from Deerpark Road Roundabout and directly to Castledermot, continue through Tullow and re-join the N80 at Closh Cross.

If you are viewing this story map on a mobile phone, please click on the link below. This will open a map application showing Near Real Time Traffic congestion along your desginated route to the event.

1. Read the traffic plan and know the route you are travelling.
2. Bring drinks and snacks especially if you are travelling with children.
3. ‘FBD: Keeping You Safe’ child safety wristbands will be available at every entrance to the event and within the event grounds.
4. If you have a vehicle pass make sure it is clearly displayed on the front windscreen of your vehicle as vehicles not displaying passes clearly may be directed into outer car parks.
5. The NPA provide an un-serviced Campervan / Caravan parking site for the event, accessible from Mon 16th - Thurs 19th Sept. 2019. This site is for Campervan / Caravan parking only – pitching of Tents not permitted. Online Campervan Registration for the event is available on  www.npa.ie 
6. Its Autumn, its outdoor, its Ireland – dress for Irish weather. Wear good footwear suitable for rough terrain.
7. Follow An Garda Siochana directional signage to venue – do not use GPS.
8. Note the colour of the over-head flying blimp and the number/colour /animal sign in your car park on entrance in order to find it easily on exit.

Disabled Parking will be available at all car parks. Please note the official Government issued Disabled Parking Permit must be clearly displayed in the front windscreen of the vehicle on approach to the Car Parks. See An Garda Siochana Traffic Plan for details.

Those in need of disabled parking on the Purple Route will be directed towards The Fighting Cocks on the N80 and will be facilitated on-site through Gate 13.

Disabled parking for Yellow Route, will be facilitated at the event site through Gate 9 on Fenagh Rd.

On the Green Route, travel through Rathoe Village, take the first left after the village and continue towards Bang Up Cross. From there, turn right and merge with the Orange Route.

Motorists on the Orange, Grey and Green Routes will travel on N80 to Ballon Village. Turn left in Ballon and continue to Taylor’s Cross and on to Fenagh. Turning right in Fenagh, merge with the Yellow Route where disabled parking will be facilitated at the event site through Gate 9 on Fenagh Rd.

BY TRAIN

Iarnród Éireann provide regular services to Carlow and full details can be found here. You can then take Bus Éireann’s shuttle bus to the event (see below).

BY BUS

A Shuttle Bus service will be provided by Bus Éireann to the event from Carlow train station. Tickets cost €9 return for an adult and €5 return for children under 16 years. A Family Ticket of two adults and three children max. (U16) can be purchased for €20. Further details can be found on the Bus Éireann website.

A number of private bus companies will also be providing services to and from the site for the duration of the event

Click on the button below to download and access frequently asked questions about visiting the Natio nal Ploughing Championships.

For information on Exhibitor, Competitor, Hunt Chase/Sheepdog parking, please click on button to download relevant section from An Garda Siochana plan.

Acknowledgements to all the Garda Staff at Carlow Garda Station for their work on this years event.

Paul Creaner, Examiner in Charge (GIS), Harcourt Square.