Podcasts about National Ploughing Championships

This week on Life and Leadership Bobby talks to the mother and daughter behind the huge success that is the National Ploughing Championships, Anna May and Anna Marie McHugh. They discuss running what is the largest outdoor event in Europe, the male-dominated early days of the National Ploughing scene as well as their hopes for agricultural life in the future. With thanks to Standard Life.

Carlo Acutis was just 15 when he died in 2006. British-born and living in Milan, the teenager became a devout Catholic and used his computer skills to develop a website detailing miracles. Just a few days after he launched his website, he fell ill and died.By 2013 he was on the way to sainthood having been named a “Servant of God”; in that same year a woman in Brazil claimed that praying to Acutis helped heal her son's pancreatic illness. In 2020 Pope Francis authenticated the miracle and Acutis was beatified. Then, in 2024, a second miracle was recognised.The Pope approved Acutis' canonisation in July, with an official ceremony set for 2025.Already relics of the “saint dressed in jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt” are touring the world with a lock of his hair being stolen at this year's National Ploughing Championships in Co Laois.Former Irish Times religious correspondent Patsy McGarry explains the path to sainthood and what the teenager's elevation means.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three girls from Mayo have launched a mobile app called HerdSync that provides a simple means to digitise farm records. The enterprise came about from a personal farming experience while participating in afterschool programming with the girls-in-STEM charity Teen-Turn. Teenagers Katie Jennings (15) and Mary Lillibeth Curry-Glynn (16) from Knock and Aoibheann Mangan (18) from Hollymount developed the app HerdSync to record animal and land data from farms as well as to track day-to-day tasks and chores. The idea for the business came to Katie while she was helping her father with cattle on the farm. When they were trying to record the animal tag numbers, the notebook fell and got wet and dirty. Katie decided there had to be a better way to record the details. The app's first iteration won Katie first place in the junior category at Technovation Ireland's Regional Pitch event. From there she entered into Teen-Turn's Incubator-to-Accelerator activities in 2023 to expand the team and build a business. HerdSync is now part of Teen-Turn's Innovators programme, backed by BNY in 2024. Innovators support Teen-Turn student enterprises as they graduate to building and/or scaling their businesses. "BNY are proud supporters of Teen-Turn Innovators, which supports young women in the startup of their own companies to become employers themselves and contribute to resilient economic systems that better their communities," Paul Kilcullen, CEO of BNY Fund Services Ireland and Country Head. The girls are currently trialling their app with early adopters but will make it widely available in early 2025. Recently distinguished for Achievement in Innovation from Enterprise Ireland during the Innovation Arena Finals at the National Ploughing Championships, HerdSync is already in daily use on farms in Connacht. Katie explains, "The idea is to empower farmers with informed herd management-to bring data science technology to them-, but without it being time-consuming or complicated, it's as easy as 'Digitise. Simplify. Amplify'!" Teen-Turn, an Irish charity, addresses, in addition to gender equality in the workplace, economic inclusion for girls from areas where higher education is uncommon by providing hands-on practical experience and mentorship in STEM and entrepreneurship through extracurricular learning opportunities. Teen-Turn Co-Founder, Joanne Dolan, praised the girls' work. "What Katie, Mary Lillibeth and Aoibheann have produced distinguishes itself from the current market in that it offers an easy-to-use, no frills farm management solution that maintains records in a tidy and centralised way."

Cady Coleman splashes down on Irish Stew to help us explore“The Final Frontier” through the pages of her new book, Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission, Wonder, and Making Change.Part memoir, part chronicle of the astronaut's life, part manifesto for the power of mission, Sharing Space explores the significance of collaboration, diversity, and making the most of your missions in bringing people together to meet common goals. Through candid reflections and storytelling, “Astro Cady” tells tales that will inspire anyone, especially women and young people, to contribute to positive global change.Our episode launches in Ireland under the giant planet Earth rotating at the end of the Trinity College Library Long Room and later touches down in Ireland at its earthiest at the National Ploughing Championships.Join us on a trip from Ireland to the stars with the astronaut who played Paddy Moloney's tin whistle and Matt Molloy's flute while floating high above the Global Irish Nation in Space.Links:WebsiteSharing Space Book Site  Social MediaTwitter/XFacebookInstagramLinkedInSeamus Plug: Cady Coleman public speakingPrevious Irish Stew episode: Irish American Astronaut & MusicianEpisode Details: Season 6, Episode 19

Adam Woods chats to Seamus O'Rourke at the National Ploughing Championships on the Irish Farmers Journal Stand about growing up in Leitrim and his new book 'Leaning on Gates' which was released earlier in the month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new hedge-cutting device, created by Kerry company RT Sales Ltd, won the coveted Machine of the Year Award at last week’s National Ploughing Championships. Jerry spoke to Johnny Reidy who developed the device with his son-in-law Pádraig Teahan.

Is the hybrid working dream set to end as some multinationals mandate employees return to the office full-time? Jasmine Elkershi of AllPro Recruitment has a finger on the pulse on this one! How a new €10m polymer technologies facility opened at TUS Athlone represents a transformative investment in Ireland's polymer and MedTech industries - with Declan Devine and Kenny O'Brien. Ronan catches up with midlands businesses exhibiting at the National Ploughing Championships 2024 including Fore Distillery, Castle Paints and Tapitag

Following the launch of the Beef Budgets for 2024 at the National Ploughing Championships, Teagasc Beef specialist, Aidan Murray, has an update with all the details. Aidan compares the national kill figures to 2023 and discusses how have the prices changed in comparison to this time last year.  Aidan also highlights how the Irish supply of beef looks for the rest of the year.  Prices are good and there is demand around the ring at the moment for heavier type of stock with Aidan comparing changes in prices for different categories of stock. Plus, for farmers buying cattle at the moment and planning to finish them, he advises that it is important to be aware of the expected costs and price needed to cover it. The Teagasc Beef Budgets 2024/2025 are available at:https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2024/teagasc-beef-budgets-20242025.php  For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

University College Dublin (UCD) has announced that fifteen participants have been selected for a new specialist food and agriculture entrepreneurship programme being delivered by the UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering in partnership with Teagasc. The announcement was made in Enterprise Ireland's Innovation Arena at the 2024 National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois, and was attended by Peter Burke TD, Minster for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Peter Burke TD, Minster for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said, "I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the fifteen participants who have been selected to take part in the inaugural 12-month Food and Agriculture Sustainable Technology Innovation Programme or FAST-IP. The ambition of FAST-IP is to drive innovation in Ireland's food and agricultural sector by supporting needs-led innovation, creating start-ups with the capability to scale and sell internationally, and generating new jobs for the sector in Ireland. I wish the participants every success in the year ahead." FAST-IP will further enhance innovation in the food and agri sector by providing programme participants with the necessary skills to evaluate, select and validate ideas for new products and services in this sector and to accelerate the commercialisation pathway for the identified products and services. FAST-IP is currently underway at the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre at UCD Lyons Farm in Co. Kildare and will be delivered annually until the end of 2029. FAST-IP is accredited by UCD at Level 9 on the National Qualifications Framework and participants who complete the programme will be awarded a Graduate Diploma in Agrifood Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Professor Kate Robson Brown, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact, said, "We were delighted to receive nearly 200 applications for FAST-IP's inaugural programme which is a strong indication of the demand for this exciting Innovators' Initiative programme from across Ireland and indeed internationally. I would especially like to congratulate the fifteen participants who have been selected for the first programme following a rigorous interview process and I wish them every success over the coming year. During the next year the participants will work together to discover real world needs in the food and agricultural sector through their immersive experiences in industry environments and bring innovative solutions to address the identified needs in a commercially viable manner with the aim of creating start-ups and generating new jobs." Participant Brian Russell, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, said, "I am excited to be accepted as a participant in the first year of the FAST-IP programme. As I change my career trajectory the programme provides me with a unique opportunity to bring my experience from manufacturing, project management and quality, into a diverse team driving sustainable technology and innovation in the Food and Agriculture sector, turning transformative ideas into viable business propositions. With most of my career having been overseas, the contact network that the programme offers, meeting, learning and collaborating with industry leaders and experts is an incredibly resource to be part of." FAST-IP uses design-thinking methodologies and has a practical focus. Through the programme, participants will learn how to conduct needs-led innovation to develop market-validated solutions to unmet needs in the areas of agricultural technology and food sustainability sectors. Participants will also spend 8-10 weeks immersed in agricultural environments, including farms, food processing companies and Teagasc locations throughout the programme. Professor Frank O'Mara, Teagasc Director, said, "The world leading research, expertise and facilities from the UCD and Teagasc partnership and supporting industry networks, will demonstrate the breadth and depth of the agri-food sector to the participants. We look forward to...

LaoisToday was on stage at the National Ploughing Championships this year as we recorded a live podcast at the Briggs Equipment stand to mark the official launch of the new Laois GAA jersey. Briggs Equipment is the parent company of Laois Hire, who are the Laois GAA sponsors, and Laois footballers Ben Dempsey and Conor Heffernan as well as Laois hurler Fiachra C-Fennell were on hand for the occasion. In front of a large attendance, LaoisToday's Steven Miller presented a live show, where he first chatted to Gary Clements, the MD of Briggs Equipment and to PJ Kelly, Laois GAA chairman. He was then joined on stage by the three players, who modelled the new jersey and took part in a Q&A with Steven. The lads chatted about the 2024 season, some of their favourite moments in a Laois jersey and the advice they would give to young players, many of whom were in the audience. They then finished up with a short quiz, where Steven tested the lads on their knowledge of Laois GAA clubs.

On this week's Tillage Podcast we chat to James Flahavan, director of Flahavan's, at the National Ploughing Championships. We have an exclusive story on the expansion to the Malting Company of Ireland, report from the Irish Drinks Forum, the latest grain prices and all the latest news. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday, Colm Dineen from Causeway won the 3-Furrow Conventional-Plough Senior Class at the National Ploughing Championships.

Francie Gorman, President of the Irish Farmers Association discusses the challenges of rising costs, reduced incomes and cash flow problems hitting hard pressed farmers.

Anna-Marie McHugh, Assistant Managing Director of the National Ploughing Championships, is predicting record crowds for the showpiece event over the next three days at Ratheniska and we hear from some people who have made the journey to Co. Laois for day one.

Kate Varley speaks to farmers and Amy Forde from the Farmers Journal ahead of the Ploughing Championship.

The 2024 National Ploughing Championships starts today, and from its humble beginnings in 1931, it has expanded and grown year on year. The first National Ploughing Championships used a small field of 26 acres, and today's National Ploughing Championships uses over 700 acres of land. The National Championships is now no longer just for ploughing or machinery enthusiasts, the modern event now features something for just about every member of the community. These include a Tented Trade Village, a Food Fair, Craft Village, Livestock, Forestry, Education, Lifestyle, Motor Show, Financial Services, Bio Energy and Agri Service. Along with this, there are many entertainment and special events taking place and lots of exhibitors too. One of the exhibitors is Engineers Ireland, and I recently spoke to Engineers Ireland Director General, Damien Owens about their stand and what we can expect to see. Damien spoke about his background, some of the tech Engineers Ireland will be showcasing, AI, and more. More about Engineers Ireland: Engineers Ireland is the voice of the engineering profession in Ireland. Their 25,000+ members make up a community of creative professionals delivering sustainable solutions for society. They have been representing the engineering profession since 1835, making Engineers Ireland one of the oldest and largest professional bodies in Ireland. Their members come from every discipline of engineering, and range from students to fellows of the profession. 

Well, today marks the start of the National Ploughing Championships. It will run until Thursday and over 200,000 people will make their way to Laois for the fun! There's plenty going on - ploughing, cookery, crafts, sheep shearing and even a search of a new boyband! Hit play now to hear the full episode.

The Clare County Chair of the ICMSA insists the agricultural sector needs to re-examined in the upcoming budget, to secure the future of the sector. It follows the publication of a survey carried out by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association and Agriland ahead of the National Ploughing Championships today, which found that eight in ten farmers believe a 'green agenda' is negatively impacting farmers' livelihoods. The Green Party has defended its policies, however, claiming there's no disconnect between the party and rural Ireland, and that it's continuing to deliver for farmers. Chair of the Clare branch of the ICMSA, Martin McMahon, has been telling Clare FM's Darragh O'Grady that farmers having to continuously take out loans is evidence that they're struggling financially.

Over four in five (83%) people believe greater regulation is required around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to protect public safety, according to research commissioned by Engineers Ireland, the national representative body for the engineering profession. In the same survey, which was conducted by Interactions Research using a representative sample of over 1,000 adults, more than two thirds (66%) expressed concerns about AI's future impact on jobs, but a majority (61%) agreed that AI is beneficial for performing more routine tasks. 20% of respondents say said that they currently use AI tools in their jobs, with this group identifying large language models, like Chat GPT, being relied on for content creation. The cohort adopting AI into their daily work routine were less likely to be concerned about the potential of AI replacing jobs and a need for further regulation. Other Technologies Respondents were also survey about their attitudes towards other emergent areas of technology. Almost two in three (65%) said that they believe the use of robotics to be useful alternatives to humans in the performance of routine or dangerous work, while just under half (48%) said they were concerned about the potential of robots to negatively impact the jobs market. On the subject of Ireland's role in space exploration, sentiment close to half (42%) said they believed that Ireland should play a larger role here. Furthermore, 35% of respondents supported the future development of a dedicated Irish space agency to conduct research and participate in European space projects. The results come as Engineers Ireland commences a drive at this year's National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois to show members of the public, educators and career guidance advisors the breadth of the contribution of engineering to society. The representative body will be on site with a number of advanced engineered products and exhibitions to demonstrate the career opportunities associated with engineering and encourage interest and awareness amongst underrepresented groups in the profession. The Engineers Ireland exhibition at the National Ploughing Championships will display an autonomous robot dog, Setanta, which works at construction sites conducting laser scans to identify deviations from construction plans; a robotic arm, equipped with AI, that can play Xs and Os with humans; and an opportunity for attendees to try on replica space suits and visit space through virtual reality. Commenting on the findings, Director General of Engineers Ireland, Damien Owens, said: "The results of this research show that, while new technologies like AI and robotics carry considerable benefits across many industries, we must ensure that their implementation in the workplace is appropriately safeguarded. "While the benefits of AI are apparent and it should become part of our work toolsets, there is an onus on both industry and regulators to address the concerns of the public meaningfully." Engineers Ireland's exhibition at the National Ploughing Championships will be open to the public to visit from 17th - 19th September. The representative body also has a number of resources available on its website for teachers, career guidance counsellors, parents and students as part of its STEPS Programme, accessible at www.engineersireland.ie/schools. A podcast with Damien Owens can be heard here.

Over four in five (83%) people believe greater regulation is required around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to protect public safety, according to research commissioned by Engineers Ireland, the national representative body for the engineering profession. In the same survey, which was conducted by Interactions Research using a representative sample of over 1,000 adults, more than two-thirds (66%) expressed concerns about AI's future impact on jobs, but a majority (61%) agreed that AI is beneficial for performing more routine tasks. 20% of respondents said that they currently use AI tools in their jobs, with this group identifying large language models, like Chat GPT, being relied on for content creation. The cohort adopting AI into their daily work routine was less likely to be concerned about the potential of AI replacing jobs and a need for further regulation. Other Technologies Respondents were also surveyed about their attitudes towards other emergent areas of technology. Almost two in three (65%) said that they believe the use of robotics to be useful alternatives to humans in the performance of routine or dangerous work, while just under half (48%) said they were concerned about the potential of robots to negatively impact the jobs market. On the subject of Ireland's role in space exploration, sentiment close to half (42%) said they believed that Ireland should play a larger role here. Furthermore, 35% of respondents supported the future development of a dedicated Irish space agency to conduct research and participate in European space projects,. The results come as Engineers Ireland commences a drive at this year's National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois, to show members of the public, educators and career guidance advisors the breadth of the contribution of engineering to society. The representative body will be on site with a number of advanced engineered products and exhibitions to demonstrate the career opportunities associated with engineering and encourage interest and awareness amongst underrepresented groups in the profession. The Engineers Ireland exhibition at the National Ploughing Championships will display an autonomous robot dog, Setanta, which works at construction sites conducting laser scans to identify deviations from construction plans; a robotic arm equipped with AI that can play Xs and Os with humans; and an opportunity for attendees to try on replica space suits and visit space through virtual reality. Commenting on the findings, Director General of Engineers Ireland, Damien Owens, said: "The results of this research show that, while new technologies like AI and robotics carry considerable benefits across many industries, we must ensure that their implementation in the workplace is appropriately safeguarded. "While the benefits of AI are apparent, and it should become part of our work toolsets, there is an onus on both industry and regulators to address the concerns of the public meaningfully." Engineers Ireland's exhibition at the National Ploughing Championships will be open to the public to visit from 17th - 19th September. The representative body also has a number of resources available on its website for teachers, career guidance counsellors, parents, and students as part of its STEPS Programme, which is accessible at www.engineersireland.ie/schools.

The 2024 National Ploughing Championships starts today, and from its humble beginnings in 1931, it has expanded and grown year on year. The first National Ploughing Championships used a small field of 26 acres, and today's National Ploughing Championships uses over 700 acres of land. The National Championships is now no longer just for ploughing or machinery enthusiasts, the modern event now features something for just about every member of the community. These include a Tented Trade Village, a Food Fair, Craft Village, Livestock, Forestry, Education, Lifestyle, Motor Show, Financial Services, Bio Energy and Agri Service. Along with this, there are many entertainment and special events taking place and lots of exhibitors too. One of the exhibitors is Engineers Ireland, and I recently spoke to Engineers Ireland Director General, Damien Owens about their stand and what we can expect to see. Damien spoke about his background, some of the tech Engineers Ireland will be showcasing, AI, and more. More about Engineers Ireland: Engineers Ireland is the voice of the engineering profession in Ireland. Their 25,000+ members make up a community of creative professionals delivering sustainable solutions for society. They have been representing the engineering profession since 1835, making Engineers Ireland one of the oldest and largest professional bodies in Ireland. Their members come from every discipline of engineering, and range from students to fellows of the profession. See more podcasts here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Sheep specialists, Michael Gottstein and Damian Costello, are on this week's OviCast as they discuss the focus on lamb finishing at the sheep section of the Teagasc stand at this year's National Ploughing Championships.  Michael talks to us about some of the decisions that need to be made with regards to lamb finishing and purchasing stores this autumn.  Damian takes us through some of the technical areas they will focus on and they discuss the demo that will be there on the day.  We finish up with Michael encouraging those visiting to drop in and visit the team to discuss the options for finishing lambs and all other sheep related queries. Link to the store lamb calculator:https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/animals/sheep/Store-lamb-finishing-calculator_2024.xlsx  For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Anne-Marie Whelan (Evangelisation & Vocations officer with Sisters of Bon Secours, part of The Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland 'AMRI'), speaks to Wendy live from the National Ploughing Championships 2024 about her missionary work, to provide a Christian presence being showcased at these ploughing championships. Anne-Marie shares about the 12 congregations from across the country representing this form of missionary work, and about the types of conversations that are had at the ploughing championships.

Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather & Anna Marie McHugh from the National Ploughing Association join Ray to look ahead to a beautifully sunny week for the 2024 National Ploughing Championships.

As we hit the middle of the month, it's time for another helping of Food In 5 Minutes, this week taking a look at the Regional Food Starter Programme, organic happenings at the National Ploughing Championships, news on Lidl's Kickstarter rollout, a new survey from SuperValu on dinner time habits and a look at the Great Taste Awards in London.Links this episodeThe Pink Box, Kilkenny (Instagram)Regional Food Starter Programme (via Kilkenny LEO)NPA.ie - National Ploughing ChampionshipsPublic Consultation on the Draft National Organic Strategy up to 2030Lidl's Kickstart graduates see products hit shelves on Thursday; who's made the 2024 list?SuperValu survey - The Table or the TabletGolden fork nomineesFull list of Great Taste Awards winners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sinéad Mellett is a woman of many talents. The Clare native is a vet and veterinary herbalist. However, Sinéad is adding some strings to her bow; she is preparing to launch her family-run business at this year's National Ploughing Championships, while she will also be launching her new book. Photo (c): www.naturalvetco.com

Galway Future Beef farmer, Aonghusa Fahy, features on this week's Beef Edge podcast to give an update on his farm system and management at weaning, plus he discusses the cattle from his farm that will be on the Teagasc stand at this year's Ploughing Championships. Even though the weather has been challenging the weanlings have still performed well, Aonghusa explains. Weaning will take place in groups of 10. Concentrates have been fed to the calves for the past six weeks and they have been vaccinated to reduce stress at weaning. A lot of rain has fallen in the west in the past few weeks, yet grass management on the farm is good although it has been hard to manage quality. A steer and heifer from Aonghusa's farm will be on display at the Teagasc stand at the National Ploughing Championships. The heifer will be kept on the farm and put in calf next year to calve down at 24 months. Over the coming months it will be important to maximise performance over the winter period to ensure they achieve 0.6kg per head per day.   For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Amy Forde chats to plough woman Katie Kehoe ahead of the National Ploughing Championships next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aisling O'Brien, Francess McDonnell and Charles O'Donnell bring you the biggest stories of the week in Irish agriculture from Agriland, which this week includes: What is the future for EU agriculture?;Arrabawn and Tipperary Co-op discuss possible merger;Dairygold undertakes supplier census;Minister defends EU stance in ‘subsidy' row on China visit;Concerns over TB eradication programme;Countdown to National Ploughing Championships;A very special tractor.Don't forget to rate, review and follow The Farming Week, Agriland's weekly review of Irish agriculture, and visit Agriland.ie for more. 

Engineering is a diverse and exciting career that fosters immense creative thinking, but just how far can it take you? Today we hear from an engineer who turned their wildest dreams into reality and took them all the way to NASA. We hear how an opportunity to attend Space Camp inspired their ‘nothing is impossible' attitude and how engineering has supported further creative pursuits in different disciplines. Our guest is a trailblazer in the aerospace engineering industry, but also in promoting the idea that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. She is Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology, Sinéad O'Sullivan. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTEarly experiences that foster a ‘nothing is impossible' attitude The impact of surrounding yourself with inspiring peopleMission design and AI at NASAParallels between engineering and other creative pursuitsThe role of AI and automation in the future of engineering GUEST DETAILS Sinéad O'Sullivan is an Aerospace Engineer. She formerly led strategy at Harvard Business School's Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness with Professor Michael Porter and is currently a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology. Formerly a Research Fellow at MIT's College of Computing and MIT Sloan as well as a Human Spaceflight mission designer for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her work focuses on the intersection of technology, innovation, geopolitics, and national security. She sits on the board of the European Space Policy Institute, is a frequent contributor to the Financial Times, and is Board Member of IMMA - the Irish Museum of Modern Art. She was also recently nominated as a fellow of Engineers Ireland. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sineadcosullivan MORE INFORMATIONCome meet the Engineers Ireland Team at the National Ploughing Championships on September 17th to 19th and have a blast at our Space Station. We will have three incredible experiences at the Engineers Ireland 'Space Store', ran by former NASA Engineer Steve Ringler - who will be down at the Ploughing Championships with our team.  You can immerse yourself in the cosmos with virtual reality adventures using state-of-the-art headsets, try on a replica spacesuit, or get a hands-on experience with real space rocks, including pieces of the moon. Join us at Block 2, Row 11, Stand 169 for an unforgettable journey through space and engineering. Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/    Sineads book “Good Ideas and Power Moves” is due to be published September 2025.  Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland. QUOTESI got to spend time with the engineers at NASA, and it just put this very kind of human, normal person face on this career that seemed totally inaccessible. - Sinéad O'Sullivan  There are a ton of really smart engineers that are solving these problems at any given time. But the problem really, I think, lies with the bureaucracy of how we fund science, how we create policy around that. - Sinéad O'Sullivan I feel like to be creative, you have to let that child part grow up with you, like if you really want to be good at doing these types of jobs, don't let people tell you they're dumb ideas. - Sinéad O'Sullivan To be a great engineer, you need to be around great engineers. - Sinéad O'Sullivan My entire career has been curiosity driven for the simple reason that if I'm really interested in it, I'm going to work hard enough at it to be successful in it. - Sinéad O'Sullivan Engineering is really about learning a way of thinking, and it's one that allows you to understand nuance, complexity, and difficult challenges that you can apply to literally any other career. - Sinéad O'Sullivan KEYWORDS#engineering #nasa #career #space #mission #taylorswift #robots

Over 30 small businesses from across the country will get the opportunity to showcase themselves to almost 300,000 visitors at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, County Laois. The Local Enterprise Village, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, will be located at the heart of this year's National Ploughing Championships from the 17th to 19th September. It will showcase the best of Irish entrepreneurship featuring small businesses selling everything from Mexican salsa and chemical free fertilisers to high end fashion designers and sensory friendly clothing. With some of the biggest companies in Ireland taking up residence at the Ploughing every year, the Local Enterprise Village continues to be a popular destination on the site for those looking to pick up something unique to bring home from some of the best small businesses in Ireland. A selection of businesses from across the country helped launch the Local Enterprise Village for 2024 at Airfield Estate in Dublin. These included Leah Cleary of Fore Distillery, Dublin fashion designer Jennifer Rothwell, Anouk O'Connell of natural wool company Olanmor, Joanne Doyle of Enchanted Castle Melts in Carlow and Mildred Tang of canvas tote company Chic Tote. Kieran Comerford, Local Enterprise Offices and Head of the Local Enterprise Village, said; "This is an opportunity like no other for a small business in Ireland. The opportunity to bring their ideas and products to almost 300,000 potential customers is a showcase like no other. The Local Enterprise Village has become one of those areas everyone wants to drop into to find their local business and see what they can pick up. There is a huge variety of businesses highlighting the depth of sectors that the Local Enterprise Offices support from manufacturing to food and beverage, to software solutions. Whatever you are interested in there is something for everyone at the Local Enterprise Village." Kildare NPA Director John Dunne said "It is wonderful to see so many diverse & impressive businesses partaking in this year's 'Local Enterprise Village' at the National Ploughing Championships taking place in Ratheniska, Co Laois on September 17th, 18th & 19th. This is an ideal and unique opportunity for these companies to showcase their products & wares to over 250,000 visitors that Ploughing attracts." The Local Enterprise Village is just one of a number of initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme, National Women's Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland. Established in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices are the essential resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or any small business that is looking for support or advice to help them grow. Since their inception eight years ago, the Local Enterprise Offices have helped create over 25,000 jobs across the country. The LEOs work with thousands of client companies across Ireland in a diverse range of sectors offering mentoring, training, expert advice and financial supports to small businesses. For more information see www.LocalEnterprise.ie LOCAL ENTERPRISE VILLAGE CLIENTS @ NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024 LEO Carlow - Enchanted Castle Melts - Hand poured soy wax melts & candles in a variety of scents, and also produce cosmetically assessed bath & body products www.enchanted-castle-melts.com LEO Carlow - Skillet & Spice - Skillet & Spice specialises in the production of high-quality seasonings and sell a range of sesame-based seasonings called 'Everything'. www.skilletandspice.ie LEO Cavan - Elena Brennan Jewellery - Handmade fine jewellery, designed and created in Co Cavan www.elenabrennan.com LEO Clare - Oir Tonics - Moss Boss Tonic is a carrageen moss based health t...

On this week's show Rachel O'Donovan and Sarah McIntosh were out and about at the National Ploughing Championships chatting to attendees about everything from college courses to finding love at the ploughing. We chat to Noel Bardon, Stephen Robb and Amy Forde who all take part in our special "Ploughing" quick-fire round.

Mary Lou McDonald TD speaks at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska. https://linktr.ee/sinnfein

In a speech made at the National Ploughing Championships, President Michael D. Higgins outlined a number of 'big changes' to be made in the Irish diet as a result of the global climate crisis.Pat O'Toole, Political Correspondent with The Irish Farmers' Journal, and Dr. Kian Mintz Woo, Lecturer at the Environmental Research Institute at UCC joined The Last Word to discuss.Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

 The final day of the National Ploughing Championships takes place in Ratheniska in Co Laois today and over the course of the past three days there have been a number of activities taking place, including a world record welly throw and brown bread competitions. But today, one event will answer the long burning question, who is Ireland's favourite saint?Fr David Vard, parish priest in Stradbally, joined Kieran to announce the result of the vote.

On this week's show we have the results of the Irish Farmers Journal land rental survey. We play you the tillage panel which took place on Tuesday. Robbie Byrne of Precision Nutrition and Conor Kehoe, tillage reporter at the Irish Farmers Journal joined us.We finish off with the grain market and weather reports.

The final day of the National Ploughing Championships saw blue skies in Ratheniska. Our team was once again on the ground, talking to farmers and political leaders. Listen in for all the news, views and highlights.

The final day of the National Ploughing Championships takes place today at Ratheniska Co Laois. There have been many issues teased out and debated by the farmers in attendance. One of the most concerning factors for those involved in agriculture is the drop off in full-time farmers. Our reporter, Josh Crosbie has been out around the Ploughing looking ahead at the future of farming Ireland:

President Higgins formally opened the National Ploughing Championships, taking place place in Ratheniska, Co. Laois. The President has attended the Ploughing Championships since his inauguration in 2011, and has described the festival as “an outstanding example of the Irish genius” and “the most beloved rendez-vous in Ireland's rural calendar.”

Over the past few weeks, there has been more election talk in the air. We've heard from some rural politicians that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have lost the farmers' vote. We sent our reporter, Josh Crosbie, out around the National Ploughing Championships to find out if rural constituents would consider swaying their vote.

Hannah Quinn-Mulligan, Journalist and farmer, discusses the main issues facing the farming community as the Ploughing Championships gets underway in Co. Laois

Tim Cullinane, IFA President and Pat McCormack, ICMSA President, discuss the concerns of the farming community as the National Ploughing Championships in Co. Laois gets underway

Úna Kelly talks to the first arrivals to the National Ploughing Championships in Laois

Anna Marie McHugh, National Ploughing Championships, describes conditions at the site in Co Laois

The National Ploughing Association has defended hiking ‘at the gate' ticket prices for this month's National Ploughing Championships to €30. Anna Marie McHugh Assistant Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association spoke to Newstalk Breakfast.

The discussion has been rumbling on the last few weeks about the decision to have cashless ticketing at the National Ploughing Championships this year We are a month out from the National Ploughing Championships and some people are still not happy Kieran was joined by Jackie Flannery, From the Irish Rural Association and Anna Marie McHugh, from the National Ploughing Association to discuss...

Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, discusses the challenges facing farmers as he attends the National Ploughing Championships.

Joe Mag Raollaigh, Agriculture Correspondent, explains what attendees can expect at this year's National Ploughing Championships and Gerry Murphy, Senior Forecaster with Met Éireann, and Alice Doyle, Chair of the IFA Farm Family Committee, discuss the impact of weather on farming in Ireland.