UCD National Ploughing Championships 2025

It was an unforgettable 3 days at the 2025 National Ploughing Championships 2025. We curated a jam-packed schedule for visitors to our stand, with attractions for all ages.

The 2025 National Ploughing Championships attracted a total attendance of 225,500 and we were delighted to partner with an amazing selection of teams such as Agri Aware, UCD Institute of Food and Health, Protein-I, UCD Alumni, Gaeltacht UCD Global Centre for Irish Language & Culture and UCD AgSoc to offer THE best experience this Ploughing 2025! 

Inside the tent was a hub of activity as staff met with curious minds and visitors engaged with many interactive stations available. 

Throughout the three days there were talks with experts from UCD and industry around really important topics such as sustainability, global food and One Health. We were delighted to welcome back recent alumni to team up with students and had some really insightful discussions around sports, societies, careers, professional work experience, study abroad, getting your voice out there through social platforms and getting young people into the farming and the ag industry.

On day one UCD Dr. Anne Markey opened the panels with Professor Frank Monahan, Professor Kieran Meade, and Dr. Katie Nolan to discuss this year’s theme of One Health. 

On Wednesday, we were honored to welcome Dr Tom Arnold, chair of Ireland and Africa Rural Development Committee to the National Ploughing Championships where he joined Professor Professor Karina Pierce, Eileen Gibney and Bill Callanan, Chief Inspector Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on a panel to discuss "Ireland at the Table: Securing Food for a Growing World".

Tom is a UCD alumnus having graduated with a BAgrSc in agricultural economics and as former CEO as Concern Worldwide, also received an honorary Doctorate from University College Dublin in 2010.

A brilliant panel to finish out a brilliant 3 days at Ploughing 2025 was hosted by Irish Farmers Journal Stephen Robb, we were thrilled to welcome former Sigerson Captain and Dairy Business graduate Daire Cregg, content creator, influencer Dairy Business graduate and dairy farmer Katie Larkin and PhD student Ruth Connolly.

Also joining us was recent winner Drystock category in the 2025 FBD Insurance Young Farmer of the Year; Amie Coonan.

Finally we were very grateful to welcome Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Minister Martin Heydon to the University College Dublin stand where he took the time to chat to staff about the development in teaching, research and infrastructure at UCD and the agriculture & food sector.