Tommy McCarthy, Co Kerry: intermediate reversible class
‘I was only 13 when I competed in my first ploughing match’
“I have been taking part in the Ploughing Championships since 1993 and I have only missed two years – one year was due to COVID-19 and the other was due to farm commitments.
“I got into Ploughing initially as there was no competitor in our parish at the time and they were anxious for someone to start. I was only 13 when I ploughed in my first match.
Tommy McCarthy. \ Claire Nash
“When I started, you didn’t need to have a driver’s licence but you needed insurance from FBD to cover you for the event, but things have changed since.
“No one in the family did it before me, so I started fresh. I am in dairy so we wouldn’t have much tillage ground. I practise on a bit of stubble ground and some of the neighbours are in tillage so I get to mix a bit of ground there. I won the intermediate reversible plough class in 2015 in Ratheniska, Co Laois, and I am competing in that class again this year.
Tommy McCarthy with his son Timmy. \ Claire Nash
“I am working on my ploughing until the championship is over, every hour or two I have to spare I will be doing some bit. Throughout August I was ticking away at it too. You would have a lot of preparation getting ready for the ploughing [match]. You would be building points and making points, and spend a lot of time in the workshop doing bits trying to improve.
Tommy McCarthy. \ Claire Nash
“It’s like everything, if you don’t put in the effort, you won’t get the return. You have to put in the preparation and hope for the reward.”
Katie Kehoe, Co Wexford: farmerette conventional class
‘My grandad is a three-time world champion, so ploughing is in the blood’
“This will be my second year in the All-Ireland. Last year I got on well and I drove straight, which is my main job, but I lost out on timing in the end.
Katie and her grandad, Martin Kehoe. \ Claire Nash
“There’s loads of different categories for the men and some of them go by age, but for the women’s competition there is only one category which is the ‘farmerette’ competition. It includes all the women of different ages.
“Usually there is a good few women that will take part in the All-Ireland. I got into ploughing through my dad who is now coaching. He
used to take part in the All-Irelands and he qualified for the worlds a couple of times. Grandad is a three-time world champion, so ploughing is in the blood.
Martin Kehoe. \ Claire Nash
“Throughout August, I didn’t have anywhere to practise as the fields had crops in them. I was looking at that point for somewhere to practise.
“This year I am hoping to not get any penalties, as last year we were late finishing as there is a time limit given, and last year there was a load of stones which made it harder to get finished due to all the stopping and starting.
“We have a dairy farm and also run a feeding and bedding business.”
Katie is using the same tractor her granddad Martin Kehoe has used multiple times. \ Claire Nash
Gerard Sheridan, Co Mayo: intermediate conventional class
‘You are always making tweaks to the plough and looking at others’
“I have been ploughing since I was 16 and I have taken part nearly every year since. I’d say I have missed two or three years in total.
Gerard Sheridan on his farm. \ Claire Nash
“I got into ploughing because my father took part in it in 1980. Then I started the year after him and qualified for the All-Ireland which took place in in Co Wexford. I came third in the under 21 in my first outing.
“I have gotten into the intermediate class and have been there for the past six or seven years. I came second in the intermediate twice.
Gerard Sheridan. \ Claire Nash
“I have been getting in and around the top 10, we try to go for the win every year. Generally, I practise throughout the year if there was reseeding and things going on.
“I try and plough in five or six matches in the spring time. I also try and go a week before the All-Ireland [to practise]. We used to plough in a few matches up in Tullamore the Sunday before the All-Ireland.
“There’s quite a bit of preparation that goes into it. You’re always making tweaks to the plough and see what others are at and try that. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
“Every year is different, ground changes and you have to look at the clock as well and hope for a good draw. We have a half an hour to do the opening split.
Gerard Sheridan. \ Claire Nash
“Then there’s 45 minutes for judging that part of it, followed by two and a half hours for the plot and that’s really it. I work full time for McHale Engineering and then do a bit of farming on the side.”
Tommy McCarthy, Co Kerry: intermediate reversible class
‘I was only 13 when I competed in my first ploughing match’
“I have been taking part in the Ploughing Championships since 1993 and I have only missed two years – one year was due to COVID-19 and the other was due to farm commitments.
“I got into Ploughing initially as there was no competitor in our parish at the time and they were anxious for someone to start. I was only 13 when I ploughed in my first match.
Tommy McCarthy. \ Claire Nash
“When I started, you didn’t need to have a driver’s licence but you needed insurance from FBD to cover you for the event, but things have changed since.
“No one in the family did it before me, so I started fresh. I am in dairy so we wouldn’t have much tillage ground. I practise on a bit of stubble ground and some of the neighbours are in tillage so I get to mix a bit of ground there. I won the intermediate reversible plough class in 2015 in Ratheniska, Co Laois, and I am competing in that class again this year.
Tommy McCarthy with his son Timmy. \ Claire Nash
“I am working on my ploughing until the championship is over, every hour or two I have to spare I will be doing some bit. Throughout August I was ticking away at it too. You would have a lot of preparation getting ready for the ploughing [match]. You would be building points and making points, and spend a lot of time in the workshop doing bits trying to improve.
Tommy McCarthy. \ Claire Nash
“It’s like everything, if you don’t put in the effort, you won’t get the return. You have to put in the preparation and hope for the reward.”
Katie Kehoe, Co Wexford: farmerette conventional class
‘My grandad is a three-time world champion, so ploughing is in the blood’
“This will be my second year in the All-Ireland. Last year I got on well and I drove straight, which is my main job, but I lost out on timing in the end.
Katie and her grandad, Martin Kehoe. \ Claire Nash
“There’s loads of different categories for the men and some of them go by age, but for the women’s competition there is only one category which is the ‘farmerette’ competition. It includes all the women of different ages.
“Usually there is a good few women that will take part in the All-Ireland. I got into ploughing through my dad who is now coaching. He
used to take part in the All-Irelands and he qualified for the worlds a couple of times. Grandad is a three-time world champion, so ploughing is in the blood.
Martin Kehoe. \ Claire Nash
“Throughout August, I didn’t have anywhere to practise as the fields had crops in them. I was looking at that point for somewhere to practise.
“This year I am hoping to not get any penalties, as last year we were late finishing as there is a time limit given, and last year there was a load of stones which made it harder to get finished due to all the stopping and starting.
“We have a dairy farm and also run a feeding and bedding business.”
Katie is using the same tractor her granddad Martin Kehoe has used multiple times. \ Claire Nash
Gerard Sheridan, Co Mayo: intermediate conventional class
‘You are always making tweaks to the plough and looking at others’
“I have been ploughing since I was 16 and I have taken part nearly every year since. I’d say I have missed two or three years in total.
Gerard Sheridan on his farm. \ Claire Nash
“I got into ploughing because my father took part in it in 1980. Then I started the year after him and qualified for the All-Ireland which took place in in Co Wexford. I came third in the under 21 in my first outing.
“I have gotten into the intermediate class and have been there for the past six or seven years. I came second in the intermediate twice.
Gerard Sheridan. \ Claire Nash
“I have been getting in and around the top 10, we try to go for the win every year. Generally, I practise throughout the year if there was reseeding and things going on.
“I try and plough in five or six matches in the spring time. I also try and go a week before the All-Ireland [to practise]. We used to plough in a few matches up in Tullamore the Sunday before the All-Ireland.
“There’s quite a bit of preparation that goes into it. You’re always making tweaks to the plough and see what others are at and try that. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
“Every year is different, ground changes and you have to look at the clock as well and hope for a good draw. We have a half an hour to do the opening split.
Gerard Sheridan. \ Claire Nash
“Then there’s 45 minutes for judging that part of it, followed by two and a half hours for the plot and that’s really it. I work full time for McHale Engineering and then do a bit of farming on the side.”
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