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A total of 75,500 people attended day one of the National Ploughing Championships in Laois.
The figure is up 11,250 people from the 66,250 who attended day one of the 2023 event, with the good weather this year playing a role.
The first day of the three-day event saw plenty of politicians in Ratheniska.
Speaking at the end of day one, managing director of the National Ploughing Association (NPA) Anna May McHugh said the association was extremely pleased with the turnout.
"The traffic flowed with ease thanks to the guard’s fantastic traffic management and visitor co-operation. Everywhere you looked, people were smiling and enjoying themselves at a whole array of activities," she said.
Politics
With cabinet meeting on Wednesday, there were plenty of Government TDs and ministers to be found around exhibitions, chief among them Taoiseach Simon Harris.
The Taoiseach told the Irish Farmers Journal that there will be news on new vet colleges this Wednesday.
Meanwhile, over on the Irish Farmers Journal stand, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon and the opposition spokesperson Martin Kenny clashed on the future of the derogation.
President Michael D Higgins was in attendance on day one and said that farmers are the backbone of rural communities.
Tune into the Plough On podcast later this evening where you can hear more news and views from day one.
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