Data use soars at the National Ploughing Championships 

Vodafone Ireland experienced exceptional demand on its network during the 2026 National Ploughing Championships, as 243,000 visitors gathered in Screggan, Tullamore, for Ireland's largest outdoor event.

Across the three days of the Championships, Vodafone customers used more than 20.4 terabytes (TB) of mobile data and made over 373,000 voice calls across the sites serving the event.

That's enough data to stream approximately 4,000 hours of HD video every day for a year, highlighting the scale at which attendees relied on mobile connectivity to share moments, access information, navigate the site and stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues.

For the 243,000 people attending the event, connectivity was as important as ever, with thousands sharing photos and videos, streaming content, making calls and accessing digital services throughout the day.

Vodafone customers spent more than 9.8 million minutes on calls during the three-day event, underlining the continued importance of voice connectivity at Ireland's largest agricultural gathering.

Demand peaked between 1pm and 2pm on day two, when the network handled 19,511 calls, averaging more than 325 calls per minute, or over five calls every second.

Demand continued to shift towards next-generation connectivity, with 8.4TB of traffic carried on Vodafone's 5G network.

The scale of activity underscores how digital habits continue to evolve. For many attendees, the event experience now extends beyond the showgrounds themselves, with people sharing experiences instantly with friends and family across Ireland and abroad, accessing event information in real time and remaining connected to work, home and essential services throughout the day.

Sheila Kavanagh, Network Director at Vodafone Ireland, said:

"Events like the National Ploughing Championships show how connectivity brings people together. Whether it's sharing a photo with family, arranging to meet friends, streaming live content or staying connected to work and home, reliable connectivity has become a fundamental part of the event experience.

"Meeting that demand requires ongoing investment in network infrastructure. We continue to strengthen and expand our network across Ireland to ensure customers can stay connected wherever they are, even during periods of exceptionally high demand".