Athy Chamber

Over three days from Tuesday, the 22nd September, 2009 until Thursday the 24th September, 2009, the National Ploughing Championship took place at Cardenton, Athy, County Kildare.

Over 180,000 people attended at the Championship and its success before, during and after the Championship has encouraged the National Ploughing Association to select Cardenton, Athy as the venue for next year's Championship which will, include at this time, 15 nations.  Athy and our business benefited from the success of the Ploughing Championship. The site is excellent for its flatness and suitability for ploughing and as an Exhibiton site.  Those who took part in the Ploughing competitions and those who hosted stands and / or marquees universally approved the site and highlighted it as one of the best sites ever chosen by the National Ploughing Association.  Athy was the site of the first Ploughing Championship and since then it has grown to national and international promincence.

Athy Chamber, its businesses, our people and our town supported this year's Championship and will do again so next year.  The Ploughing Championship brought much business to our town and businesses and we will build on our success for next year's Championship.  Not only did our businesses thrive in the run-up to and aftermath of the Championship but also during the Championship our town buzzed, there was much evening Championship activity in the town with many businesses staying open each evening and there was a free open air concert in White Castle, a focal point in our beautful town.  Next year we will develop even more and plans are curently being prepared for next year's festival which will simply add to the regular festivals taking place monthly and annually in our town and which show off our town and businesses in the best possilbe light. 

Watch this space.