Dublin duo rise to occasion in National Brown Bread competition
Junior brown bread winner, Cara Wall from Dublin and senior brown bread winner Olivia Nash from Dublin at Ploughing 2026 in Screggan, Tullamore. Photo: Alf Harvey
Two Dublin bakers rose to the occasion at the National Ploughing Championships after taking home the senior and junior titles in one of the event’s best-known competitions.
Olivia Nash was crowned Ireland’s Senior National Brown Bread Baking Champion for 2026, while 15-year-old Cara Wall claimed the junior title on the final day of the Championships at Screggan, Tullamore.
The National Brown Bread Baking Competition, sponsored by Euronics and held in association with the Irish Countrywomen’s Association and National Ploughing Association, saw competitors progress through semi-finals before the winners were decided on Thursday, September 17.
For senior champion Nash, the victory proved that her husband’s faith in her baking had been well placed.
Following her win, she joked that she thought her husband had been lying when he told her how good her bread was and said she was delighted to discover he had been telling the truth.
A digital marketing executive and keen baker, Nash also runs the Loaves by Olivia Instagram account and has an interest in reducing food waste through baking.
Her winning loaf earned her €5,000 in cash as well as a NEFF Slide & Hide oven worth more than €2,000.
Nash overcame Therese Lonergan from Westmeath, Ann Loftus from Mayo and Sarah Davitt from Mayo in the senior final.
Judge Eleanor Martin praised the winning loaf for its appearance and balanced flavour, saying it was the type of bread someone would want to take home.
There was another Dublin victory in the junior competition, where Wall impressed judges with a family recipe passed down by her grandmother.
Wall said she was delighted with the victory and particularly pleased to have used her grandmother’s recipe.
Her efforts earned her a €1,500 Euronics voucher, while an additional €1,500 voucher was awarded to her school.
The other junior finalists were Callum McKeague from Donegal, Aoife Ruddock from Leitrim and Lucy Tate from Cork.
Judge Eileen Brennan, who won the competition herself in 1973, praised Wall’s bread for its appearance, flavour, smell and soft crust. She said the high standard meant judges required half an hour to reach their final decision.
The contest remained a popular attraction for visitors throughout the three-day event, with the baking tent hosting the various stages of competition.
The competition concluded as the 95th National Ploughing Championships drew to a close following three days of activity at Screggan.
