Gardaí Issue Traffic Advice for Cork Drivers Ahead of National Ploughing Championships 2026

An Garda Síochána has published its traffic management plan for the National Ploughing Championships 2026, which takes place at Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly from Tuesday 15 to Thursday 17 September. A significant policing operation is in place for the event, with in excess of 80,000 persons anticipated to attend and a traffic management plan and parking plan in place for each day.

A partial closure of the N52 is in place between Tullamore and Birr, along with a local closure of all approach roads to Mucklagh village and the event site at Screggan. Road users are advised to avoid using satnav and other similar devices close to the event site.

Gardaí are urging road users who are not attending the event to avoid the N52 between Tullamore and Birr, and to avoid all approach roads to Mucklagh village and the event site at Screggan, from Tuesday 15 September at 6am until Thursday 17 September at 8pm.

For those attending, Gardaí are advising drivers to view the Traffic Management Plan in advance on the An Garda Síochána and National Ploughing Association websites (www.garda.ie and www.npa.ie) to find the correct route for their journey. The plan uses a colour-coordinated system to help direct drivers to the correct parking zone. It is essential that drivers do not use other satnav-type devices, as these may not carry the up-to-date information on the specific traffic diversions for the event. Persons are asked to listen to, and comply with, any direction given by An Garda Síochána or stewards over the course of the event.

For Cork and Munster drivers specifically, Gardaí are asking that traffic turn off the M8 at Junction 6 (Horse & Jockey) rather than continuing along the motorway to Portlaoise. By turning off at Junction 6, drivers from the Cork/Munster region will avoid traffic congestion and other ploughing traffic in the Portlaoise area. This traffic will be assisted by Gardaí on point duty in the towns of Thurles, Templemore, Roscrea and Birr, before entering car parks on the west side of the site without encroaching on the town of Tullamore or merging with any other traffic approaching the site. Patrons on this route will park in the designated blue car parks, on the left and right hand side beside the event grounds.

Real-time updates will be provided, where appropriate, via Garda Press Office press release and on An Garda Síochána's official social media accounts: X (@gardatraffic and @gardainfo), Facebook (An Garda Síochána) and Instagram (@gardainsta).