The feel-good factor in Irish farming translated into a bumper attendance in Ballacolla for the opening day of the National Ploughing Championships.
An estimated 50,000 people made it to the site, which lies between the Cork-Dublin and Limerick-Dublin roads near Durrow, Co Laois. Traffic volumes were very heavy, causing some delays, but queues were not excessive.
The President, Mrs McAleese, performed the official opening ceremony after she had visited the ploughing plots where some 300 farmers are competing for national honours. She declared her support for Irish agriculture and the farming community.
"Not only is agriculture our largest industry but it is also a crucial part of our national identity and a way of life," she said.
Mrs Anna May McHugh, managing director of the National Ploughing Association, also stressed the importance of a vibrant rural economy. Far too many farmers had left the land, and this event, she said, was an act of faith in farming as a way of life.
Among the large attendance was the US ambassador to Ireland, Mr Michael Sullivan, who confessed he was a great fan of the championships. This, he said, was his second visit to the event, which he thoroughly enjoyed because of the ease and friendliness of the people.
Relaxed it may have been, but there was also a great deal of merchandising and politicking. The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) used the occasion to announce its pre-Budget submission; Fine Gael used it as a platform to attack the Government's fuel policy; while Macra na Feirme sought reform of the structure of agricultural co-operatives.
Macra, which represents young farmers, called on the co-operative movement to introduce reforms to change the profile of its organisation.
"Macra wants a range of reform measures, including amalgamation of advisory boards, education and training of board members, special share options for young trained farmers and remuneration for board members," said its president, Mr T.J. Maher. Board members of co-operatives aged 65 or over should have to retire to make way for younger people, he added. The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, was present to help promote the Farm Woman of the Year Awards, sponsored by the Irish Farmers' Journal and Bank of Ireland. Later today the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, will issue the findings of a report from an advisory committee on the role of women in agriculture.
Ms Betty Murphy of the IFA yesterday urged the Government to recognise the contribution of farm women through the tax and social welfare code.
"The move towards individualisation of standard income-tax bands threatens to further exacerbate this lack of recognition," Ms Murphy said.
With an increased number of livestock at the exhibition, the Irish Food Board, with Teagasc, set up a special one-stop-shop for farmers. It provided information on producing beef to meet market requirements.