7:25pm

We're ending this live blog with the winners of the classes of the first day of the National Ploughing Championships. Don't miss our video wrap later this evening and see you here tomorrow for day two!

  • 3 FURROW JUNIOR PLOUGH - Matthew Coakley, Cork West
  • 3 FURROW SENIOR PLOUGH - James Pendergast, Waterford
  • INTERMEDIATE CONVENTIONAL - John Murphy, Cork West
  • INTERMEDIATE REVERSIBLE - Ger Coakley, Cork West
  • VINTAGE 2 FURROW TRAILER - Tommy Cullen, Wexford
  • UNDER-21 CONVENTIONAL CLASS JUNIOR GRADE - Aidan O'Donovan, Cork West
  • UNDER-21 CONVENTIONAL CLASS SENIOR GRADE - Lorcan Bergin, South Tipperary
  • UNDER-28 CONVENTIONAL CLASS SENIOR GRADE - Kieran Coakley, Cork West
  • UNDER-28 CONVENTIONAL CLASS SENIOR GRADE - Kieran Coakley, Cork West
  • UNDER-28 CONVENTIONAL CLASS JUNIOR GRADE - Aidan Higgins, Galway
  • UNDER-28 REVERSIBLE - Dermot Ryan, Offaly
  • UNDER - 40 HORSE CLASS - Jeremiah Delaney, Cork East

    • 6:41pm

    Listen to an interview with Co Cavan Farmer Eddie Lynch, overall winner of the 2016 FBD Farmyard Awards with family:

    6.18pm

    Official results of the 2016 Farmyard Awards:

    Overall winner - The Lynch farmyard, Loughduff, Co Cavan

    Livestock first place - The Callinan farmyard, Ennis, Co CLare

    Livestock second place - The Earle Farmyard, Gorey, Co Wexford

    Special prize - The Fennell farmyard - Kilrush, Co Clare

    Special prize - Barouche stud, Naas, Co Kildare

    Dairy first place - The O'Regan farmyard, Banteer, Co Cork

    Dairy second place - The Keyes farmyard, Tullamore, Co Offaly

    Other enterprises first place - The Conroy farmyard, Camolin, Co Wexford

    Other enterprises second place - The Keenan farmyard, Rathangan, Co Kildare

    6.03pm

    6.02pm

    6.00pm

    5.58pm

    5.47pm

    Sinn Féin has been running a series of debates at the Plouhing all day. The party’s finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said its solution to the lack of services in rural areas was legislation ensuring that "all government policies should be rural-proofed" the same way they are "equality-proofed" in Northern Ireland under the Good Friday Agreement. Read more here .

    5.41pm

    From school closures to cancelled hospital appointments and an easy week for the postman, Ploughing 2016 is having an impact on the local community.

    5.29pm

    Stay tuned for our farmyard awards up next!

    5.25pm

    The first day of the ploughing is winding down here in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly.

    5.20pm

    5.16pm

    4.33pm

    4.31pm

    With the fear of burglaries at an all-time high in the midlands region hosting the National Ploughing Championships, the IFA and An Garda Síochána are giving practical advice to keep thieves away.

    3.40pm

    The moment we've all been waiting for, tractor football!

    A first of its kind for the farming community, and the broadcasters, Marty Morrissey battled it out on the tractor pitch for the Ploughing Live Show, all in aid of Heart Failure Awareness.

    3.22pm

    Teagasc measurements presented at its Ploughing grassland demo show that autumn grass is worth €1.80/animal/day - use it wisely!

    3.20pm

    Spotted on the ICSA stand:

    3:16pm

    We've partnered with ESB Networks to give away family breaks to the most farm safety-aware kids at the Ploughing.

    Spot the dangers on the model farm on display on ESB Networks's stand to be in with a chance to win a prize - including the model farm itself!

    3.08pm

    President Michael D Higgins and Housing and Local Government Minister Simon Coveney were not the only ones to stress Brexit worries at the Ploughing today. The debate under way in the Sinn Féin tent is attracting way more more people than it can hold.

    14.50pm

    14.46pm

    The #PloughingCheatSheets are flying out the door!

    14.24pm

    Stephanie Corbett, Galway, Rachel Hanniffy, Galway, Niamh Black, Galway enjoying their visit to the Ploughing.

    14.22pm

    As popular as ever, people come to collect their Hi-Vis jackets at the Irish Farmers Journal stand.

    14.20pm

    Speaking to media at the 85th National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore, Co Offaly, former Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said the government needs to maintain a very close relationship with Britain in order to prepare for Brexit and help farmers through any difficulties that may come from it.

    2.15pm

    A new farm diversification and training opportunity for rural families has been announced by the Department of Agriculture called opt-in.ie.

    1.45pm

    President Michael D Higgins has officially opened the 85th National Ploughing Championships. He drew applause when he referenced the tillage farmers that are out “seeking to salvage what they can from the harvest”. He also said: “There can be no vibrant society without vibrant rural communities. And there can be no vibrant rural communities without thriving family farms."

    Listen to President Higgins as he visited the sheep searing tent with champion shearer IvanScott in our podcast below and read more about his address here.

    1.26pm

    Time for a trip down memory lane in two video tweets:

    1:15pm

    There's still time, Éidín, come join us!

    1:03pm

    The Irish Farmers Journal photographers are out and about, and judging by their snaps everyone here is having a great time. Browse the gallery above for more pictures and details.

    12:44pm

    Have you hidden our Ploughing cheat cards up your sleeves before heading for Tullamore? Find them all here.

    12:35pm

    Loads of school groups around the Ploughing - and not just to visit!

    12:20pm

    Tractor football is now on - more on that later on.

    12:05pm

    Our own Odile Evans is interviewed by Newstalk in the most unusual radio studio:

    12:00pm

    Loads happening from our team right now: follow our second livestock demonstration on the Irish Farmers Journal stand, and don't miss our Snapchat account as the legendary Marty Mone takes it over live from the Ploughing for the next hour!

    11:54am

    And they're off! Some 350 entrants will be competing in ploughing classes over the next three days.

    Judges James O' Sullivan, Eamon Cottrel, Willie O'Donovan and Des Wright are captured below by the Irish Farmers Journal photography team.

    11:46am

    Can't make it to the Ploughing, or can't wait to get here? Get a taste of the event with our video below:

    11:32am

    Our Farmer Writer Harold Kingston is curating the IrelandsFarmer Twitter account live from the Ploughing today.

    11:29am

    President Michael D. Higgins has just arrived at the Ploughing and his first words will be music to farmers' ears.

    11:28am

    The Ploughing will surely leave a mark on Screggan's landscape.

    11:16am

    The product pitches are now under way in the Innovation Arena: agri entrepreneurs have only a few minutes to convince a panel of very serious looking judges to award them with funding. Dragon's Den at the Ploughing!

    11:00am

    The Screggan site is filling up nicely, the weather is perfect and the atmosphere is great.

    10:36am

    One of the first events to get underway at the Irish Farmers Journal tent at the 2016 Ploughing Championships was the Irish Farmers Journal Motoring Awards.

    Motoring editor Michael Moroney was the judge and presenter of the awards ceremony on Tuesday morning.

    Winners of the Farmers’ Favourite 4x4 Pickup award were Dermot McDermott and Jeanne McGann of Nissan for the Nissan Navara (photo above).

    Ian Corbett of Toyota Ireland (photo above) won for the Toyota Landcruiser as Farmers’ Favourite 4x4 while the Farmers’ Small Van award went to Orla Sweeney and Alan Batesman of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for the Volkswagen Caddy (photo below).

    We speak to the winners of the Farmers' Favourite 4x4 Pickup award for the Nissan Navara, Jeanne McGann and Dermot McDermott in the podcast below.​

    10:31am

    We've told you a lot about all the exciting stands to visit at this year's Ploughing, but the Dealer has also been looking at those that are not here this year. Read the details here.

    10.02am

    Watch our livestock demonstration live below:

    Click here if the video doesn't display on your device.

    9.55am

    Our first livestock demonstration is about to start on the Irish Farmers Journal stand. They are taking place every day at 10am, 12pm and 2pm. Get a flavour of the beef market section of the demo here.

    9:34am

    The 2016 edition of the National Ploughing Championships has barely opened and the site is already thronged by thousands of visitors. The weather forecast is good for today but some rain is expected in Wednesday and Thursday, and it looks like many have decided to make the most of the dry spell.

    There are reports of delays approaching the site but overall traffic management is coping well, with gardaí advising visitors to come later in the day to avoid the morning rush.