Longford ploughing championship main sponsor delighted to keep memory of their late dad alive

The Finnegan family has a big connection to Longford ploughing through their late dad Paddy, a dedicated and well-known ploughman and as the main sponsor they are delighted to 'keep his memory alive'.

Paddy, a married father of two who passed away in 2021, set up the successful family-run car sales and repair garage first as Paddy Finnegan Car Sales over 30 years ago.

The name changed to P&J Finnegan Car Sales when son James became part owner and both him and Paddy's daughter Tracey run and work for the business.

Paddy was known as a charismatic businessman and ploughing enthusiast and he competed locally and nationally for decades.

Also read: Delaney family to host Longford's 89th Ploughing Championship

Tracey said her dad would have been delighted to see the 2025 Ploughing Championships in his home townland Drinan and they felt he would want them to get involved.

The site is on the outskirts of Ballymahon, near a popular scenic walking trail along the banks of the Royal Canal.

"The main reason we chose to do the sponsorship was because of Paddy and it's obviously on our home soil," Tracey said. "It's only a couple of hundred metres up the road from us and because it was in Drinan we thought if Paddy was here he would only be delighted by the chance to do it. 

"We are kind of doing it for him as such," she explained.

Tracey attended the Longford Ploughing Championship several times with her dad and it was always enjoyable.

"He was involved in the ploughing for many years and he loved it so it's great to be involved in it and to keep his name going I suppose.

"There were definitely a few occasions myself and James and the family went to the Longford Ploughing Championship with dad and several times we went to see him in the National Ploughing Championships as well," she added.

She stated her dad Paddy was one of several sponsors down through the years but this is the first time P&J Finnegan Car Sales will be the primary sponsor.

"It's great that it is so local, it's not even a mile out of the town so hopefully there will be lots of locals who will come out to it, it is in an accessible area as well and it does get all the businesses involved.

"I think most businesses at this stage have done some form of sponsorship for it so it kind of promotes every business as well as just having a nice day out in Ballymahon for everyone to go to without having to spend a fortune," she added.

Tracey said she has attended some meetings and she is hopeful it will be a great day and conditions will be dry.

"I know they have music all day so there will be the extra atmosphere that people need so it'll just be a nice event.

"And if the weather is good people will be able to enjoy themselves and have a couple of drinks and watch the ploughing and hopefully we can spend the day there instead of just popping in for five or 10 minutes," she added.

Paddy, a native of Carrickmacross, county Monaghan, native trained as a mechanic in his local area initially and eventually moved on to Dublin to work in the CIE garage in Donnybrook, where he met his wife-to-be Ann (nee Delaney).

They both moved to Ballymahon - Ann’s home town - where they built their home and reared their family.

Tracey said the Longford Ploughing Championship will be a nice opportunity to meet friends that they have made over many years in the ploughing community.

"There is actually a good few of the committee that dad would have known and lots of people involved in the ploughing and I'm sure there will be lots of people ploughing on the dad that dad would have known and ploughed with.

"So, it's great for us to be able to meet all of those people, some that we wouldn't have known, and just be involved in it and get an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes with all the ploughing," she added.

Also read: Secretary of the Longford Ploughing Association thrilled to see the ploughing return to his home soil

Tracey said she has a lot of admiration for the dedication that is needed for ploughmen perfecting their technique.

"For dad, especially coming up towards any championships or matches you wouldn't see him from one day to the next, he would have the tractor on the lorry and he was gone to plough somewhere.

"There is definitely a lot of time that people put into it and then there is obviously the equipment and the maintenance of that and everything involved with it.

"For sure, there is admiration there for people who do it and it's great to see there's still some younger people still involved in it because it is I suppose not as popular as it once was so it'd be great to see more people get involved in it," she added.

Down Memory Lane | Super photos from the last time Ballymahon hosted Longford Ploughing Championships

Tracey  said she will be attending the Longford Ploughing Championships with James, her mother Ann, her side of the family and some of her dad Paddy's family who will be travelling from Dundalk for the day.

"It definitely means more to us and it's just nice that the committee asked us to do it and we're obviously happy we are in a position to do it as well and as I said it's just to keep Paddy's name out there and keep his memory alive," she added.