Ploughing Championships start in County Laois

The National Ploughing Championships kick off today in Ratheniska in County Laois.

There's plenty of Tipperary competitors taking part over the three day event, with 19 contestants across 26 classes.

Today will see 6 Tipperary competitors in action alongside others from all over the country and further abroad with representatives from the United Kingdom also due to take part.

In all, the Premier County has 9 contestants from the south of the county and 10 from the north.

The first Tipp man out is Ciaran Milne in the 3 furrow Conventional Plough Class while there are also Tipperary men competing in the Under 28 reversible plough class and the intermediate reversible category.

More than 300 people will take part in the competitions while a further 30 competitors from 10 countries have entered in the European Vintage Ploughing Championships which are also taking place at the site.

After a break of 23 years, the national brown-bread baking competition has been revived and is expected to draw large crowds over the three days of competition.