Ploughing 16: Screggan - how was it for you?

mansize

So those that went, how was the ploughing?

Good bits?
Bad bits?
Overall?

MfMan

Traffic fine, but left home this morning in good time and was parked at 7.30am. Left for home again at 3pm, well ahead of the rush. No problem with delays. Had the 4x4 so no trouble with skidding either. Trade stands no different than most years, agree with those who say a lot of reps are clueless; better off ringing a firm next week and say you saw what you're interested in at the ploughing and are looking for a show deal. Wish more people would go look at the actual ploughing, it's what it's about after all. Good chance it'll be there again next year.

Salrub

Thought the traffic management plan was very well run, better than most years. Also the way most similar stands with same products were grouped together and not spread all over the place

Who2

well organised and traffic was as good as it gets, it is what it is; is as about all i can say about it. i found a lot of the reps uninterested in what they were at, they seemed to be at burnout from time-wasters but i got what i wanted and it was just handy they were there all together to price and compare. i really do think they should ban buggies at these things.

Bullocks

Thought it was good , I'll definitely go again if its in the same spot next year

charolais0153

MfMan wrote: »

Traffic fine, but left home this morning in good time and was parked at 7.30am. Left for home again at 3pm, well ahead of the rush. No problem with delays. Had the 4x4 so no trouble with skidding either. Trade stands no different than most years, agree with those who say a lot of reps are clueless; better off ringing a firm next week and say you saw what you're interested in at the ploughing and are looking for a show deal. Wish more people would go look at the actual ploughing, it's what it's about after all. Good chance it'll be there again next year.

I couldn't find the ploughing

larrymiller

murphy trailers told me that you can't reverse there new cattle trailers. And the yellow car park at 6 pm tues was just grid lock. Apart from that s great day out

Lolamontez

mansize wrote: »

So those that went, how was the ploughing?

Good bits?
Bad bits?
Overall?

Overall it was v good to the extent that I travelled 600km roundtrip across today and yesterday:-) loved the presentation of VW exhibit and got to meet and chat to tom coffey from the bachelors in trouble and also pretty sure I saw Scoby out of Pure Mule :-)

skywanderer

It was badly organised I thought, there was extremely bad or non existent signage and finding anything seemed impossible, needs to be improved badly. Food was a ripoff €11.50 for a burger, chips and bottle of water, good grub but overpriced by around €4-€5. Toilets, well yuck is all I can say! The worst stand was the electric Ireland tent which had no Irish staff only some lads who could hardly speak English. Car parks were very guttery and a good few cars got stuck. I enjoyed the day after a 3 year absence and will go back if it dosent clash with the All-Ireland next year.

kerry cow

I thought it was a little too over crowded compared to other years which made it slow going .crowds swelled earlier this year from 9am .maybe they should extend length and width of the tracks to spread the crowd or go over 4 days to allow a bit of room .
Ground was heavy compared to laois last year .
Tbh it was not as good Imo as other years .

Never wrestle with pigs

kerry cow wrote: »

I thought it was a little too over crowded compared to other years which made it slow going .crowds swelled earlier this year from 9am .maybe they should extend length and width of the tracks to spread the crowd or go over 4 days to allow a bit of room .
Ground was heavy compared to laois last year .
Tbh it was not as good Imo as other years .

+1 the walking tracks were wider last year. I think they were cought for space. Last years spot was better IMO.

It's missing sumthing like a right good tractor pulling over a few days. They are bringing in cash, I'm sure they can organise a bunch of good pullers from over the water and here to put on a show over the few days.

Genghis Cant

Great location. Probably the best traffic management I've seen.
My highlight was chatting to Bill Cullen. Every word he said I heard in Tom Dunnes Gift Grub voice. I was waiting for him to mention his lovely legs an oul mudder duck :-)

MickeyShtyles

skywanderer wrote: »

It was badly organised I thought, there was extremely bad or non existent signage and finding anything seemed impossible, needs to be improved badly. Food was a ripoff €11.50 for a burger, chips and bottle of water, good grub but overpriced by around €4-€5. Toilets, well yuck is all I can say! The worst stand was the electric Ireland tent which had no Irish staff only some lads who could hardly speak English. Car parks were very guttery and a good few cars got stuck. I enjoyed the day after a 3 year absence and will go back if it dosent clash with the All-Ireland next year.

All-Ireland? It's mid-week?!

_Brian

Laid up sick and didn't make it down

road_high

Seems odd they didn't announce it there again for next year. I assume they're looking at other options too. Site was not as a good as those in Laois/Kildare. I know the weather played a part but it was very muddy and the car parks could have been a disaster with more rain. Tends to be that bit wetter there than a bit further south east. The site wasnt level
either.

twin_beacon

I went on Tuesday, I really enjoyed it, it was my first ploughing in 13 years. My girlfriend was working at one of the stands, so I was there at 8am, and left at 5pm.
I came in off the M6, I was dreading the drive, as I thought driving around the ring road would be a disaster. The park and ride from the purple car park was a godsend! 30 mins to get to the car park, and 30 mins home. The carpark was fine in the evening but I'm sure the rain on Wednesday cut it up badly.

I was scouting out some machinery, spotted the first item around 8:30 and got talking to a guy very easily. By 9:30 the place was jammed, and very hard to get talking to anyone. Some of the salesmen weren't in the know either, I asked for a price for one item and I couldn't get an answer!

I was very impressed by the Lely dairy shed. The amount of work that went into it building that shed, and setting up the robotic milking machine. I never seen one of those working either (I don't come from a dairy farm), I was very impressed.

Over all, very good day. I'd love if it was back in the same site again next year, very handy for me to get to! I do plan on going next year again, unless its very far from home.

FineFilly

Had a fantastic day yesterday ,no traffic entering or exiting ,carpark was grand,arrived before 8am left at 4:30pm, very few around early so had a nice look around before the mad crowds,took things nice and handy and seen loads,i love the general buzz at the ploughing ,hoping it will return to the same site next year

Sheep breeder

Livestock stands were poorly set out, all mixed around instead of in the one line.
The trade stands for livestock hard to find and the signs for the car parks very poor,

roosterman71

- Traffic was grand for me (went Wednesday, stayed in the green car park). It was getting slippy by 4 after the shower of rain so could of been tricky getting out. The big coloured balloons were handy for finding your way back to the car parks

- Cattle stands seemed smaller and a bit haphazard in their layout on the grounds

- Lely shed was brilliant. Simple and brilliant!

- Thought the site layout was good, with things grouped together well

- Felt the machinery section was smaller than I remember from previous times (been 4 years since I went)

- Aldi were fierce crafty in giving out free hats with their logo to the very people that are protesting against them

- People cannot walk in a straight line and have no issue stopping in the middle of the walkway for no apparent reason

- The thought of a freebie is like cocaine to some

Looking forward to next year. It will be in Tullamore again.

whelan2

roosterman71 wrote: »

- Traffic was grand for me (went Wednesday, stayed in the green car park). It was getting slippy by 4 after the shower of rain so could of been tricky getting out. The big coloured balloons were handy for finding your way back to the car parks

- Cattle stands seemed smaller and a bit haphazard in their layout on the grounds

- Lely shed was brilliant. Simple and brilliant!

- Thought the site layout was good, with things grouped together well

- Felt the machinery section was smaller than I remember from previous times (been 4 years since I went)

- Aldi were fierce crafty in giving out free hats with their logo to the very people that are protesting against them

- People cannot walk in a straight line and have no issue stopping in the middle of the walkway for no apparent reason

- The thought of a freebie is like cocaine to some

Looking forward to next year. It will be in Tullamore again.

+1 especially on the people stopping in front of you, very enjoyable day. Also the free maps were great, alot better than buying the book at the entrance. Couldnt fault the day at all

skywanderer

MickeyShtyles wrote: »

All-Ireland? It's mid-week?!

Try driving up from Kerry to Dublin and back down on the same day and then trying to repeat that two days later back up to the likes of Tullamore etc; plus the financial expense of the ploughing after an already expensive All-Ireland.

Farrell

skywanderer wrote: »

Try driving up from Kerry to Dublin and back down on the same day and then trying to repeat that two days later back up to the likes of Tullamore etc; plus the financial expense of the ploughing after an already expensive All-Ireland.

If it's that bad, send the all-Ireland tickets this way, just to help you out

I said

skywanderer wrote: »

Try driving up from Kerry to Dublin and back down on the same day and then trying to repeat that two days later back up to the likes of Tullamore etc; plus the financial expense of the ploughing after an already expensive All-Ireland.

Ya poor auld divil

Reggie.

skywanderer wrote: »

Try driving up from Kerry to Dublin and back down on the same day and then trying to repeat that two days later back up to the likes of Tullamore etc; plus the financial expense of the ploughing after an already expensive All-Ireland.

Just don't go to the All Ireland then.....Simples

Future Farmer

For Companies/Societies in attendance there were problems with getting running water for cattle etc. as well as with a lack of night security.

#BRINGBACKRATHENISKA

Bullocks

Future Farmer wrote: »

For Companies/Societies in attendance there were problems with getting running water for cattle etc. as well as with a lack of night security.

#BRINGBACKRATHENISKA

The night security would hardly be any different no matter where its held surely ?

Future Farmer

Bullocks wrote: »

The night security would hardly be any different no matter where its held surely ?

Possibly not but no issues in Ratheniska.....

annubis

I enjoyed it this year but i feel the cattle displays are going back every year which is a shame, wonder if its costing the societies too much to put up a bigger displays there?
i didnt experience any delays getting in but did have to park a long way out, felt the ground just wasnt as good as rathineska , i was parked on the side of a hill

GiantPencil

annubis wrote: »

I enjoyed it this year but i feel the cattle displays are going back every year which is a shame, wonder if its costing the societies too much to put up a bigger displays there?
i didnt experience any delays getting in but did have to park a long way out, felt the ground just wasnt as good as rathineska , i was parked on the side of a hill

We displayed cattle one year, it's a big commitment if you're a part time farmer. You're looking at 4 days off work at the very least

annubis

GiantPencil wrote: »

We displayed cattle one year, it's a big commitment if you're a part time farmer. You're looking at 4 days off work at the very least

ya good point in fairness

GiantPencil

annubis wrote: »

GiantPencil wrote: »

We displayed cattle one year, it's a big commitment if you're a part time farmer. You're looking at 4 days off work at the very least

ya good point in fairness

Sometimes 7-10 days holidays in Majorca weighs up better than taking your show cattle to the Ploughing, especially after this summer!

Bullocks

GiantPencil wrote: »

Sometimes 7-10 days holidays in Majorca weighs up better than taking your show cattle to the Ploughing, especially after this summer!

No doubt about it , I'd pick Majorca every time

99nsr125

Food was a rip off expensive, poor quality and poor service everywhere we ate

Purple route was fantastic, no traffic, shuttle buses super,
garda and signage doing a good job.

Stewards excellent, polite, helpful, could answer questions when asked

Site held up well, not quite flat but there sure was a lot of people walking around

Free FBD armbands for the smaller ones was a great idea.

Website is a bit lacking

Needs to be more places for people to sit down

Livestock tents were dissapointing

I personally miss the pole climbers

stanflt

GiantPencil wrote: »

We displayed cattle one year, it's a big commitment if you're a part time farmer. You're looking at 4 days off work at the very least

Had an animal on display- didn't have to do anything- ai company collected her 5 weeks before hand and dropped her back yesterday- no hassle

charolais0153

stanflt wrote: »

Had an animal on display- didn't have to do anything- ai company collected her 5 weeks before hand and dropped her back yesterday- no hassle

Sane but we sold ours to them instead

pedigree 6

99nsr125 wrote: »

I personally miss the pole climbers

Ah sure you can see them any weekend.;)