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Although the inclement weather forced the organisers of a ploughing match to reschedule the event from its initial date on March 11 last, it proved a huge hit when it eventually went ahead O’Leary’s Farm, Listry on Sunday, organised by the newly affiliated Killarney Ploughing Association.

The event had been formally launched by Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Niall Kelleher, at a gathering on Wharton’s Farm in Fossa in early February where it was heard that with five ploughing associations currently operating in Kerry – in Abbeydorney, Ardfert, Ballyheigue, Ballyduff and Causeway – a need was identified for a ploughing association in Killarney to be affiliated again.

There is a great ploughing tradition in the greater Killarney area with six local men winning All-Ireland titles in the 1950s and in 1954 Killarney hosted the first World Championships to be held in Ireland. Killarney also played host to the National Ploughing Champions on two occasions, in 1939 and 1961.

The weekend match bridged a 53-year gap since the last ploughing match took place in Gortroe, Fossa in 1965. Local man Danny O’Leary of Bishop’s Farm, Ballycasheen was a champion in one of the categories that day and, in a great link with the past, he is now president of the Killarney Ploughing Association.