Two walking sticks and a lot of determination saw the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins through a lengthy 28 minute speech to launch the 2024 National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska.
President Higgins, accompanied by his wife Sabina, arrived in glorious hot sunshine to Ratheniska on Tuesday, September 17 to formally cut the red ribbon and declare the championships open.
He praised Anna May McHugh as a “truly remarkable woman”, and emphasised the importance of supporting rural Ireland and food production, adding that he looked forward to meeting her after the launch.
The president also spoke with passion about the growing levels of world hunger and famine, describing as “shameful” the trillions of dollars spent on “weapons for war” last year. He noted that half of the 50 million population of Sudan in Africa is facing “food insecurity and famine”.
“Never had so few so much and so many so little,” he said, describing the state of the world as a “species failure” by the human race.
Speaking to the Leinster Express / Laois Live after his launch, the President had a simple message for the people of Laois and its visitors.
“Appreciate the sun, be kind to each other, and may your kindness exceed the sun’s warmth today,” he said.
Speech in full below. Watch our edited video of the official opening here.
Anna Maria McHugh welcomed dignitaries to the stage, including Laois County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Padraig Fleming and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
Monsignor John Byrne, Bishop Adrian Wilkinson assisted by Alex Purser said prayers, including for peace in Gaza, Israel, Ukraine and all places in conflict.
Shanahoe School Marching Band had the honour of playing the National Anthem and the Presidential Salute for the opening.
“Since I was inaugurated as Uachtarán na hÉireann, President of Ireland, Sabina and I have attended these Championships each year and we are always struck by the sheer scale of the gathering that is known far and wide as simply “The Ploughing”, by the enthusiasm and the support for every aspect of Irish rural life,” President Higgins had begun.
“The significance of excellence of skill in ploughing is at its centre. The skills and talents of all of the competitors never cease to impress.
“Indeed, may I congratulate Eamonn Tracey from Co. Carlow and Jer Coakley from Co. Cork, who were both named world champions in their respective classes at the 69th World Ploughing Contest in Tartu, Estonia last month. The result means that Ireland has now retained the conventional and reversible world titles for three years in a row. Traoslaím libh.
“The Ploughing” is, of course, the national stage for showcasing all things agricultural — new techniques, new technologies, and the best of Irish farming. However, it is about so much more than that.
“The spectacle of so many people enjoying one of the social highlights of the year makes it not only one of the most important dates in our national calendar, but also one of the most authentic expressions of an Ireland that remains connected to the land and to nature.
“May I take a moment to extend my sincere congratulations to the entire team at the National Ploughing Association for making this event possible.
“May I pay special tribute to Anna May McHugh, a truly remarkable woman who first took up her post as Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association in 1973. For over 50 years her leadership has ensured that these Championships continue to go from strength to strength, year after year.
“The Ploughing” is made possible by the co-operation of voluntary, State, and Semi-State. May I express my appreciation to An Garda Síochána, Laois County Council, the emergency services, to the people of Ratheniska, to the neighbouring farms and those who provide land for the exhibitions, infrastructure, and parking, to the hundreds of volunteers from across the country, all of those who have travelled here to contribute as judges, supervisors and stewards, and all the clubs and organisations, who have all contributed their time and resources to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
“They do so with unswerving commitment, boundless enthusiasm and unfaltering professionalism. It is all that co-operative work which enables all of us to fully enjoy these three days.
“The Ploughing has evolved into a diverse event, reflecting all that is engaging with our modern, rural Ireland, and in conditions of crises that require all of our shared efforts. It also offers us an opportunity to explore and reflect on the achievement of the ecological, social, and economic goals that we have set for ourselves, as a country and as part of the global community, and of our determination to face the challenges of the future together.
“May I say how wonderful it is to witness the large number of young people here today. It is they who will make the changes we need. Their presence here is a testament to the enduring importance of farming and rural life in Ireland, but is also a reminder that our shared future depends on them. We must ensure that we leave them a world that is sustainable, prosperous, and at peace.
“We are already seeing significant progress. The 2023 Teagasc Sustainability Report highlights this good work, indicating a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions on the average farm, a drop in the use of chemical fertilisers, and an increased use of adoption of technologies resulting in low emission slurry spreading (LESS).
“Later this week, I will travel to New York to address the Summit of the Future, convened by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN General Assembly, to concentrate especially on what shape a United Nations needs to have to be genuinely representative of the peoples of the world in all their diversity.
“There, I will be emphasising the central role which the food producers of the world have to play in ensuring that such a sustainable, prosperous and peaceful world can be achieved.
“In 2015, the countries of the world collectively agreed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The agreement on these Goals, along with that made in Paris the same year on climate change, released an inter-generational feeling of hope that we were finally beginning to change our assumptions about how we view the relationship between society, the economy, and the environment.
“Yet, nine years later, we must acknowledge that delivery on these commitments has been so much less than what was agreed. The 2024 Report on the Sustainable Development Goals finds that only 17 per cent of the targets are on track, nearly half are showing minimal or only moderate progress, and progress on over one third has stalled or even regressed, including critical objectives related to poverty, hunger, and climate.
“According to the latest Global Report on Food Crises, dangerous levels of acute hunger affected a staggering 281.6 million people last year – the fifth year in a row that food insecurity has worsened. In Sudan alone, half of the country’s population of 50 million are now facing food insecurity and famine.
“UNICEF has told us the recent severe drought that has impacted large swathes of Southern Africa has resulted in almost 300,000 children being threatened by severe acute malnutrition in the six drought-affected countries.
“All these challenges are exacerbated by the still-unresolved issue of debt. Southern Africa, with its burden of debt, has no ‘fiscal space’ to deal with these challenges, nor the consequences of climate change for which it was not responsible.
“The severity of this problem has been recognised by Secretary-General Guterres, who in July launched ‘A world of debt: A growing burden to global prosperity’. This report shows that 3.3 billion people—not far off half of humanity—are living in countries that spend more on debt interest than on health.
“How shameful it is that this is taking place in a world where military expenditure has soared to unprecedented levels, reaching $2.44 trillion in 2023—the highest ever recorded.
“When one thinks of what could be achieved if such sums were not deferred to preparations for war.
“In particular, we think of all the people in Gaza. As we approach the one year anniversary of the horrific events of 7th October 2023, the world must insist that the horrific suffering for children and their families must end. Hundreds of thousands of people continue to face the most horrific of circumstances of war and displacement. There is no room anymore for anyone to avert their gaze. The outrageous level of killing must end with an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the immediate provision of all necessary aid.
“In these difficult times, we must ensure that the rhetoric of war and the shocking escalation of armaments do not sideline the agreements we have made on poverty, inequality, climate action, and sustainability.
“With the latest projections indicating a global population of 10 billion by 2050, one of the greatest challenges we face is to achieve Sustainable Development Goal Number 2, the goal to end hunger and achieve food security.
“It is a challenge that calls for new, inventive solutions, which will give the food security we need, meeting what is nutritionally sufficient for all of the world’s children.
“Earlier this summer, I was honoured to receive the Agricola Medal from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), where I spoke of how, in the challenge to deliver successful food systems, we need to see what is an emerging global consciousness reflected in innovative models of food sufficiency, and recognise the links between food insecurity, global poverty, debt and climate change.
“There is a deep wisdom among farmers, a wisdom that comes from their close connection to the land. Those who work the soil understand the delicate balance that must be maintained between human activity and the natural world.
“This year, we mark the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Agricultural Commission. Something which I do not believe has received sufficient attention over the years is the Minority Report of that Commission, written by Tom Johnson and Michael Duffy, which convincingly made the case for the achieving of food security and the jobs associated with it as part of a social policy.
“Johnson and Duffy highlighted in their proposal of 100 years ago the value of tillage in creating jobs and eliminating food dependency, while providing a produce which could primarily be sold locally rather than for export, an agriculture that avoided dependency.
“They proposed a socially based form of farming, one that could foster strong local communities, create sustainable jobs, and ensure a dependable local food supply which could benefit farmers and agricultural labourers alike.
“It was one of a number of significant contributions made to this State by Tom Johnson, in whose memory I planted a tree at Áras an Uachtaráin in April last year at an event to mark the 50th anniversary of the Irish Labour History Society.
“Johnson and Duffy’s proposals were rejected by those who supported the Majority Report, who favoured what was seen as the inevitable growth and march of the cattle economy.
“A century on, there remains lessons on the benefits of farsightedness which can be taken for creating a sustainable food supply both in Ireland and in those countries throughout the world which continue to suffer from grave levels of food insecurity.
“Mar Uachtarán na hÉireann, may I applaud the efforts of our farmers who are proving that it is possible to balance the needs of production with the need to protect our environment, and may I encourage them to continue on this path.
“Of course, farming in Ireland is more than mere production. It is a space of life. It has an intrinsic value that goes far beyond the economic, a way of life that must be cherished and protected.
“As I have said in my previous speeches here over the years, farm families must be supported, nurtured and sustained.
“If farming as a way of life is to be sustainable in practice, it will require the security of better socially designed supports, better social protection, a social floor that ensures that those who are the backbone of our rural communities are not left behind.
“Research indicates that this can be best achieved with appropriate regional policies and sufficient supports for farm families.
“To truly harness our potential, we must recognise the potential of rural Ireland in our strategies for sustainability. It is imperative that we continue investing in rural areas by retaining and enhancing services and by developing new facilities, infrastructure and public amenities to make rural living ever more appealing.
“Mar fhocal scoir, I would like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of agriculture to Irish society and, in particular, to rural Ireland.
“It is as people rooted like rocks in the soil, earthed, courageous, generous, compassionate and inclusive, displaying solidarity, not only with our fellow countrymen, our nearest neighbours, but with all people, wherever they may be, that we can overcome any difficulty and surmount any obstacle together.
“Our farming communities, our farming families, have demonstrated the truth of this time and again throughout our history, and I know they will continue to do so in the future with the support of all the citizens of Ireland to build an inclusive, flourishing, compassionate and generous Republic.
“Tá súil agam go mbainfidh sibh ar fad sult as Treabhdóireacht 2024, agus guím gach rath ar an ócáid. I hope you all enjoy Ploughing 2024, and I wish the event every success.”