Johanna Mullally née Walsh (c. 1898-1983)
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Queen of the Plough 1958: Peggy Mullally (c. 1932-1997) of Davidstown, Glenmore
The Glenmore Ploughing Association was established in 1938. For further information see our previous post of 7 March 2021. Within a couple of decades Glenmore was well represented in ploughing competitions. The Irish Press noted in 1960 that one Glenmore farm produced four plough champions who won every competition at local, county and national levels in recent years under the National Ploughing Association rules (Sat. 2 April 1960, p. 4). This farm was the Mullally Farm of Davidstown, Glenmore. Today, we are going to feature Peggy Mullally. In 1958, twenty years after the Glenmore Ploughing Association was formed, four years after women were allowed to compete under National Ploughing Association rules, and just two years after taking up ploughing, Peggy won the title “Queen of the Plough.” Peggy was one of 11 children of Thomas Mullally (c. 1897-1951) and Johanna Mullally née Walsh (c. 1898-1983). In addition to her prowess at ploughing Peggy was described as “an excellent horsewoman,” she hunted and jumped and was fond of a game of golf (Irish Press, Wed. 28 Jan. 1959).
Special thanks to Tommy and Essie Mullally for sharing their memories and newspaper clippings. We had a wonderful visit.
National Ploughing Championship 1958
In 1956 Peggy started ploughing. Her brother Tommy confirmed last week that she had no experience of ploughing on the farm. She attended ploughing competitions with her brothers, and subsequently joined in the tractor ploughing competitions. In 1956, Peggy placed 10th in the National Competition. In 1957, at Boyle she secured third place (Irish Press, Wed. 28 Jan. 1959). According to the Irish Press, the title of Queen of the Plough was to be hotly contested in 1958. In 1957 there were joint Queens, Eileen Duffy of Galway and Muriel Sutton of Wickow, but the national newspaper stated that Peggy, “the sister of the holder of the men’s championship” was a strong contender for the 1958 crown (Wed. 12 Feb. 1958, p. 11.)
The 1958 National Ploughing Championship was held on the 12th and 13th of February at Tramore. Just before her class started a stranger gave Peggy a sprig of white heather saying that it would bring her good luck. Peggy wore it throughout the competition. Peggy drove an Allgaire tractor and used a Star plough that was manufactured in Wexford. Peggy won the crown as “Queen of the Plough” at Tramore in 1958, and was presented with a silver crown. At the same time another County Kilkenny woman won “Queen of the Dough.” Mrs. Elizabeth Gorey, the widow of Denis J. Gorey, T.D., Burnchurch House, Cuffesgrange won first prize in the National Wholemeal Bread making Competition. The attack in June 1922 on the Gorey home was featured in our previous blog post on 6 June 2022.
Other successful Kilkenny competitors at Tramore included Peggy’s twin brothers. The Munster Express stated “great credit is also due to the twin brothers, Richard and Thomas Mullally, Glenmore, who secured second place for Kilkenny in the senior two furrow tractor event,” (Fri. 21 Feb. 1958, p. 4). Tommy Mullally recalled last week that there was terrible mud at Tramore in 1958.
Prizes and Appearances
At Tramore Peggy was crowned at a dance held at the conclusion of the championships. The gown that she wore for her cornation was given by Shaws of Waterford and was made of 25 yards of fabric. Unlike previous Queens, Peggy during her reign made several appearances and even travelled internationally. Several newspapers commented on her appearance, and the advertised dowry of £100 for Plough Queens who married during their rein. The only catch was that the dowry was only paid if the Queen had not attained her 25th birthday on the date of the wedding. Peggy wore the silver crown and her gown when she led a parade in March 1958 through the streets of Dublin driving a tractor. A victory dinner dance was organised by the County Kilkenny Ploughing Committee in April. The victory dance was held at the Mayfair Ballroom in Kilkenny city and Peggy was presented with an inscribed clock by the County Ploughing Committee (Kilkenny People, Sat. 26 April 1958, p. 9). The music was rendered by Sean O’Connor and his band from Cork featuring electric organ and violin (Munster Express, Fri. 18 April 1958, p. 4).
At the Spring Show held at the RDS in Ballsbridge in May 1958, the then Minister for Agriculture, Paddy Smith, presented the national ploughing winners with trophies. Peggy was presented with a silver bracelet by ALG Tractors, Ltd., Borris-in-Ossory, Laois, in recognition of her work with an Allgaier tractor (Irish Independent, Fri. 9 May 1958, p. 5).
Although no photo or article could be found regarding Peggy’s appearance in a Cork parade we did locate the following article. “Efforts are being pursued through the initiative of a progressive garage owner at the eastern end of the town to have Peggy Mullally, Kilkenny, “Ireland’s Queen of the Plough” driving in the parade. She will be awarded a £100 dowry if she will marry during the twelve months of winning her title. Perhaps on Wednesday next she will make the acquaintance of a West Cork man and collect her £100 prize” (Southern Star, Sat. 13 Sept. 1958, p. 3).
The Waterford News & Star announced that “The Queen Goes to Germany.” Peggy was leaving to spend “a holiday in Germany.” The trip was sponsored by Porsche Diesel Tractors, Ltd. The article stated that Peggy used a Porsche tractor during the Tramore championships (26 Sept. 1958, p. 6). Peggy left on the 30th of September via Dublin airport and flew into Zurich for a week’s holiday (Irish Press, 1 Oct 1958, p. 6). Both Allgaier and Porsche were German companies. At the end of the Second World War, Porsche Diesel Company was supplying engines to Allgaier for its tractors. Porsche took over the tractor manufacturing in 1957, but ceased production in 1963.
National Ploughing Championship 1959
In January just a few weeks before the 1959 Championships it was announced that Peggy would not defend her crown. In 1959, the Championship was held in Burnchurch, Co. Kilkenny on the 28th and 29th of January. It was announced in Waterford that Peggy only recently returned from a tour of Germany, where she was guest at International ploughing contests and had no time to practice for the Championship” (Irish Press, Wed. 7 Jan. 1959, p. 4). It appears that Peggy after her week long vacation in October returned to Germany to attend International ploughing contests.
In spite of having had little time for training, Peggy competed in 1959 and came in second overall. She also won the prize for the best furrow (Kilkenny People Sat, 7 Feb. 1959, p. 4).
Although Peggy did not win the £100 dowry or meet a West Cork man, she did meet and marry a farmer from the Kilclareen,Templemore, Tipperary, Eugene Laffan and the couple had a daughter. Peggy Laffan née Mullally died in 1997, and her obituary is available on our obituary page under her married name Laffan.
Kilkenny Victory Dinner Dance 1958–(Front left to right, seated) Mick Muldowney, Jo Mullally Prendergast, Seamus Mullally, Queen Peggy, Richie Mullally, Maura Mullally Kelly, James Kelly, ? (Second row of 9: Kathy Vereker, Nola O’Donoghue, Tommy Ryan, Molly Doherty?, Mary Barron, Mary Fitzgerald, johnny Vereker, Tom Cuddihy, Richie Doherty (Third Row) profile Statia Ryan, Mickey Murphy, Mikey Barron, Dick Cody, Paul Fitzgerald (middle of mirror), Paddy Griffin, Jimmy Prendergast, Paddy Culleton, Tom Aylward
Please send additional information or corrections to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
The featured photo above of Peggy wearing her crown was taken at her coronation at Tramore and published in the Farmer’s Journal (22 Feb. 1958, p. 25). Murphy Motors of Glenmore sold Allgaier tractors. See our previous post of 27 June 2020 regarding Michael Murphy of Murphy Motors.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh