Ploughers lament a steady decline in competitor numbers

THE expert hands of the ploughers who contested Sunday’s Causeway match delivered another wonderful demonstration of the craft, but sadly their numbers pointed to only one thing - a steady decline in the expertise in general.

That was according to Causeway Ploughing match organiser Michael Donegan who said that the numbers taking part on Sunday were a fraction of the field that would have taken part ten years ago.

Sunday’s match took place near the Ferry Bridge in Ballyduff on the land of the O’Connor family.

“The numbers have sadly gone way back with up to six competitors in most categories. It’s probably down to the fact that it is an expensive business, equipment wise for young lads to get into,” Michael said.

The results were as follows: Martina Flynn won the Ladies; Thomas Carroll the Macra; Mike Burke the under-21s; Michael J Donegan the under-28s; John Healy the senior tractor; Colm Dineen the three-furrow; Tony Wharton the novice; Aeneas Horan the vintage; Mike Halloran the reversible and - in two of the day’s most watched demonstrations - Moss Trant won in the horses category with his mighty friends and Donal Tydings left even his spectators feeling bone-tired by his sheer physical graft in the hand-dug loy category.

Ballyduff Ploughing takes place on the Causeway side of the village meanwhile this Sunday from 12 noon, on the land of the Quinlan family.

Two generations of Lyreacrompane ploughers - Paul McKenna and three-yearold son Eric. Photo by Domnick Walsh

Mossie Trant from Tralee and his mighty workhorses ploughing the land at the Causeway match on Sunday. Photo by Domnick Walsh

Ballyheigue ploughmen Christy, Richard and Liam O’Mahony working the land on Sunday.

Fossa brothers Liam and Tony Wharton getting the measure of North Kerry on Sunday.

Ploughing match gate-keepers JP and Thomas Barrett after overseeing the influx onto the O’Connor family’s lands.

Ballyheigue’s Thomas Healy shows how it’s done.