A UCD archaeologist at The Ploughing

Why would an archaeologist from UCD be interested in attending ‘the Ploughing’, one of the largest gatherings of farmers in Europe? (opens in a new window)Meriel McClatchie, an Associate Professor at UCD School of Archaeology, highlights the value of stepping outside the university to meet people from the wider farming sector, where together we can explore the deep history of farming in Ireland and its relevance for the future.

The (opens in a new window)National Ploughing Championships attracts almost 250,000 visitors and features hundreds of stands showcasing agriculture, food, machinery and lots more. The September 2024 event at Ratheniska, Co. Laois was the perfect opportunity to meet farming communities, food producers and other stakeholders.

As an archaeologist, my main area of research is ancient agriculture, exploring the deep history of farming in Europe and beyond. Increasingly, I collaborate and engage with different communities and stakeholders to consider how we got to where we are today in farming, and how we might adapt for the future.

Crucial to this is effective engagement with farmers, food producers and researchers in modern plant sciences and agronomy. ‘The Ploughing’ is the perfect opportunity to meet people and have conversations about their practical experiences and challenges. I had particularly valuable conversations around the importance of crop diversity with exhibitors at the (opens in a new window)Irish Grain Growers and (opens in a new window)Organic Village stands.

Heritage grain varieties at the Organic Village

My research group at UCD focuses on ancient farming, and we have established clear scientific evidence for (opens in a new window)widespread arable agriculture in Ireland’s past, where farmers grew a diverse range of crops, (opens in a new window)sometimes at large scale, including the (opens in a new window)growth of crops for export. These crops were grown primarily as human foods, but they were also used in fodder and the by-products incorporated into structures and other activities.

A demonstration of thatching at the Government of Ireland stands

In recent centuries, Irish agriculture has shifted its (opens in a new window)focus largely towards animals, particularly dairy and beef production. Where crops are grown, they are often for fodder or the malting industry, rather than being incorporated into human foods, and focus is on a narrow range of crops.

But across Europe, there is (opens in a new window)increased awareness that diverse farming strategies are required to achieve food security. In the face of climate change and environmental degradation, we need to grow a wider range of crops. Farmers are also seeking sustainable crops, and consumers recognise the health and environmental benefits in shifting to more plant-based diets.

In this context, my Croprevive project with (opens in a new window)Dr Sónia Negrão at UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science is timely, because it promotes the growing of underutilised, resilient crops for use in human foods. But this research will only have impact if we talk and work with farmers and food producers to see how we can encourage the production of crops that were so important in Ireland’s past.

Events like ‘The Ploughing’ are a brilliant opportunity for different communities and stakeholders who have shared interests to come together and learn from each other. For this very reason, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science have participated in ‘The Ploughing’ for many years. This year, the School of Agriculture and Food Science kindly invited me to join them in a (opens in a new window)panel discussion, where we (opens in a new window)reflected on the value of interdisciplinary approaches.

UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science stand at 'the Ploughing'

I returned from ‘The Ploughing’ with valuable new insights and renewed enthusiasm for my research, all of which I gained through meeting, talking and listening with people who all share a common interest in agriculture in Ireland, but who have diverse perspectives and experiences. Making space for this engagement will significantly strengthen my research findings and impact, and I am already looking forward to ‘The Ploughing’ in 2025.

About the author

(opens in a new window)Assoc. Prof. Meriel McClatchie (UCD School of Archaeology)'s research is focused on archaeology in Europe, with a particular interest in food (from early prehistoric to early modern societies), prehistoric landscapes and settlements, and archaeobotany (the analysis of preserved non-wood plant macro-remains such as cereal grains and chaff, seeds of other crops, weed seeds, fruit stone and nut shell). She is an Associate Professor in Archaeology at UCD School of Archaeology, Deputy Director of the UCD Earth Institute, Director of the UCD Ancient Foods Research Group, and Founder and Director of the UCD Archaeobotany Laboratory.