County Roscommon woman is keeping loy digging alive
Cllr Ruth Connolly-Conboy, Declan Conboy and Pauline Lavin at the launch of the Roscommon Ploughing Championships. Pic: Gerard O'Loughlin
A Strokestown woman is leading the way in keeping the traditional method of ploughing, loy digging, alive.
“Loy digging was originally done before tractor ploughing and it was mainly, in the counties where the ground wasn't as good,” says Pauline Lavin from Ardikellan whose talents will be on display later this afternoon, Sunday, May 4th when this year’s Roscommon Ploughing Championships take place on the lands of Paddy Beirne and family, Ballinaheglish (F45Y436). The official opening by the O'Rourke boxing sisters, Aoife and Lisa, will get underway at 2 p.m..
Pauline explains that the loy is “similar to a spade, with a steel bottom on it and a wooden handle with one foot on it, either a left or a right-handed loy.” Originally a tractor plougher, taking part in the All-Ireland series, Pauline moved to loy digging.
“It's about keeping those traditions alive, which I love to do and it's really important and it's nice to be involved and meet other people,” she said.
At least year’s National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, County Laois, Pauline won a silver medal in the junior women’s category in just her second year of competing and she looks forward to the opportunity of getting promoted to senior grade.
“I took part in the All-Ireland for two years - still battling for the first place. There are about 10 ladies competing, and when you win junior you go up to senior. I'm still in junior at the moment and loving it.”
She has been ploughing competitively since the 1990’s and looks forward to every Roscommon Ploughing Championship with great excitement. “I love it. There’s great comradery, a great group of people at it. It’s important to keep heritage alive and the championships give the opportunity to keep it alive.”
As the only competitive loy digger in the county, she encourages more people to get take part. “I'd love to see more people getting involved in the loy digging. I’m the only one from County Roscommon, so for practice for the All-Irelands I would go to Mayo, Sligo and Longford for the practice on the competitive side of it.”
At the recent Roscommon Easter Parade she showcased her talents on the Roscommon Ploughing Association’s float that won first prize and collected the €500 top prize.
