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"Donegal should push for ploughing
event"
29.09.08
INISHOWEN Councillor
Pádraig MacLochlainn has called for a “strong and
focused collective lobby” to bring the National
Ploughing Championships to Donegal in the near
future.
Cllr MacLochlainn, who attended the championships in
Kilkenny last week with his Sinn Féin colleagues,
said he understood Donegal was shortlisted to host
the major event next year. However, the huge
agricultural money-spinner has again been granted to
the Midlands in 2009.
“One has to attend the National Ploughing
Championship to truly understand its scale. Over
200,000 people attended this year's event over three
days. It is an absolutely remarkable event that
encapsulates all that is great about our farming
families throughout the island," said Cllr
MacLochlainn. |
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“I understand Donegal
was on the shortlist to host the 2009 National
Ploughing Championship, which has now been granted
to Athy, Co Kildare. While I congratulate the people
of Athy and Kildare on their achievement, this event
has already been hosted for 19 of the last 30 years
in the Midlands counties.
"With the advances made by the peace process and the
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on all Ireland
co-operation, Donegal would be an ideal location to
attract farming communities in the province of
Ulster, which has never hosted the championship
since its inception in 1931."
The town and county councillor said he would be
discussing the issue with his colleague, Northern
Assembly Agriculture Minister Michelle Gidernew.
"I call on all political parties and farming
organisations in this region to support my call. The
next steps are for a central lobby group supported
by Donegal County Council to make a logistical case,
outlining potential sites in the county to back up
the geographical and political arguments," he added. |
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