An Garda Síochána has a significant Policing Operation in place for the National Ploughing Championships taking place on Tuesday 16th, Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th September 2025. • Partial Road Closure of N52 between Tullamore and Birr • Local Road closures in place around Mucklagh village and the event site at Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly • Attendees are requested not to follow Sat-Nav and map typing applications once close to the event site • Significant updates will be posted on An Garda Síochána Social media channels With an anticipated in excess of 80,000 persons attending this event each day a Traffic Management and Parking Plan has been put in place. The assistance of all road users is required to allow Traffic to move freely to and from the event during these times. Gardaí are urging road users NOT attending the National Ploughing Championships to avoid the N52 between Tullamore and Birr. Road users are also asked to avoid all approach roads to Mucklagh village and the event site at Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, from Tuesday 16th September at 6am to Thursday 18th September at 8pm. It is essential that drivers don't use Sat-Nav and map typing applications close to the event site as they may not have the up-to-date information on the specific traffic diversions for this event. Over the course of the event persons are asked to listen to and comply with any direction by An Garda Síochána or stewards. For those attending the National Ploughing Championships, please view in advance the Traffic Management Plan on www.garda.ie for the correct route to take depending on where you are travelling from. The Traffic Management Plan can be viewed directly on this link: http://www.garda.ie/!V7UL62and Garda Social Media Pages. The plan identifies various routes that attendees should use depending on where their journey commences and a written description of their color-coordinated route, and parking zones. The Traffic Management Plan includes an interactive map, which can be viewed on any internet-enabled device and is available on the following link "How to get to the Ploughing" This Traffic Management Plan includes routes to the event broken down into a colour coordinated system. The colour coordinated system will help with parking in the correct zone. The following websites also provide valuable additional information for persons planning to attend the National Ploughing Championships 2025: www.garda.ie www.npa.ie In general traffic from the following areas are advised to plan accordingly: BLUE ROUTE - Traffic from Cork / Munster • Traffic travelling Northbound on the M8 will exit at Junction 6 (Horse & Jockey) and proceed towards Thurles where Gardai will divert traffic along the event route onto Templemore and Roscrea along the N62. At Birr traffic will join the N52 travelling northbound via Kilcormac and Blueball and onto the event site at Screggan, Tullamore. Parking: • Patrons on this route will park in the designated BLUE car parks on the left and right hand side beside the event grounds. GREY ROUTE - Traffic from South East (Kilkenny) • Traffic travelling from Kilkenny/South East will travel North along the N77 via Durrow and Abbeyleix before arriving at Portlaoise where traffic will be directed left at Junction 17 through Clonminham and onwards to Fairgreen Portlaoise, travelling along the N80 to Mountmellick. At Derryclooney Bridge, Mountmellick traffic will be directed left and onto the R422 through Rosenallis and Clonaslee. At Coolagh Cross traffic will be directed right onto the R421 (Killurin Road). At Killurin Cross traffic will be directed left towards the event site at Screggan, Tullamore and parking beside the event site. Parking: • Patrons on this route will park in the designated GREY Car Parks beside the event grounds at Screggan. YELLOW ROUTE - Traffic from the South East (Carlow) • Traffic travelling from Carlow and the South East will travel on the N80 towards Portlaoise. At Bloomfield Roundabout, Portlaoise traffic will be directed right onto Rathbrennan and onto Junction 16 (M7). Traffic will then turn left to the Heath and left again at the Wheel Inn pub (sign-posted Portarlington). Traffic will proceed to Kennells Cross and be turned left and travel towards Mountmellick town. All traffic will be directed through Mountmellick town and onto Tullamore via Killeigh. Traffic will then proceed to parking beside the event grounds. Parking: • Patrons on this route will park in the designated 'YELLOW Car Parks beside the event grounds at Screggan. BROWN ROUTE - Traffic from Limerick, Kerry and Southwest:• Traffic travelling Northbound on the M7 will exit at Junction 26 (Nenagh South) and will proceed on the N52 towards Borrisokane. In Borrisokane traffic will take the N62 (Signposted Portumna) and after 5km traffic will turn right onto the R438 to Cloghan. In Cloghan traffic will turn onto the R357 before being directed to parking beside the event grounds. Parking: • Patrons on this route will park in the designated BROWN Car Parks beside the event grounds at Screggan. PURPLE ROUTE - Traffic from Dublin • Traffic from Dublin to use the M4/M6 Westbound to Junction 5 on the M6 (Kilbeggan) and then onto the N52 towards Tullamore for 4km, where at Durrow turn right onto L2005 (passing GAA Pitch) and travel for 2km, then turn left onto the R420 and travel for 2km to avail of a shuttle service to the site. Parking: • Patrons on this route will park in the designated PURPLE Car Park . PINK ROUTE - Traffic from the North• Traffic travelling from the North will travel via Mullingar and onto the N52 towards Tyrellspass. Traffic will be turned right into Tyrellspass Village and on to Kilbeggan Village via R446 (old N6). Once through Kilbeggan Village turn left for Clara onto the R436. On the approach to Clara traffic will turn left onto the L2009 before joining the R420 Tullamore to Clara Road. Traffic will then turn right at Coolnahiley and be directed to parking beside the event grounds. Parking: • Patrons travelling this route will park in the designated PINK Car Parks beside the event grounds at Screggan. GREEN ROUTE - Traffic from the West • Traffic travelling from the West will exit M6 motorway at Junction 6 (Horseleap, Clara) and will be directed towards Moate town. Traffic will then be directed left onto the Ballycumber Road. At Ballycumber traffic will join the R436 (Ballycumber to Clara Road) before turning right on towards Rahan Village. At Rahan Village traffic will be directed onto the L2011 towards the event site and parking. Parking: • Patrons travelling this route will park in the designated GREEN Car Parks on the right hand side of the L2011 just beside the event grounds at Screggan. ORANGE ROUTE - Traffic from the North • Traffic travelling Westbound along the M7 Motorway will exit at Junction 15 (Cappakeel), turning right over the Motorway and onto the R445 (Old Dublin Road). At New Inn Roundabout traffic will proceed through Emo Village and onto Kennells Cross where it will turn right and be directed to Garryhinch Cross and onto Cloneygowan Village. Traffic will then follow the R420 to the event site. Parking: • Patrons travelling this route will park in the designated ORANGE Car Parks | 