Successful Portroe Vintage Day
€24,000 raised for North Tipp Hospice
They came in their hundreds, thousands even, to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and marvel at the fantastic collection of vintage machinery gathered together over many years by Portroe man Pat Egan. But Pat’s fine collection, undoubtedly one of the finest in the country, wasn’t the only treat in store for the large crowd. The hardworking organising committee had put together such a varied and interesting mix of attractions that there was, literally, something for everybody from nine (or less) to ninety.
We had a fine collection of vintage cars, an exhibition of the old fashioned threshing of corn, dancing exhibitions, an animal farm, a blacksmith, a host of kiddies entertainment and many other attractions too numerous to mention. Particularly popular with youngsters on the day was a demonstration of fire fighting by members of Nenagh Fire Brigade.
The beautiful weather meant that attendees could sit around and enjoy some of the fine selection of food also provided by the willing helpers throughout the day. Visitors from every county in Ireland and indeed some from further afield were unanimous in their praise for the whole event and compliments were flying around like the proverbial snuff at a wake.
At a specially organised function in Seymour’s Pub in Portroe on Friday night last Pat Brien, on behalf of the committee, presented a cheque for €24,000 to Paddy Heffernan, Chairman of the Nenagh Branch of North Tipperary Hospice being the amount raised on the day.
Committee Chairman Pat Hickey welcomed the large attendance and thanked all the members of his committee and the many volunteers who helped make the 2022 event such a success. He referred to the huge amount of preparatory work that went into ensuring that everything ran smoothly on the day and thanked God for the beautiful weather which made the occasion so enjoyable for everyone. He complimented the Hospice committee on the marvellous work they do year after year in providing such valuable and essential services to the people of North Tipperary. He was delighted that Portroe parish could make such a substantial contribution to the funds and hoped that the example they were setting would inspire other parishes to organise fundraising events in future years to help the hospice to keep up their fantastic work.
In accepting the cheque Paddy Heffernan complimented the organisers on the great work they had done. The amount raised far exceeded his expectations and would be a great boost to the fundraising effort for the current year. Without the support of groups like Portroe Vintage it would not be possible to provide the many essential services for which, unfortunately, demand is growing year on year.
As with all other services and indeed in our personal lives things are becoming more expensive by the day and running the in-home care service for terminally ill patients and the cancer support services in Nenagh, Roscrea and Thurles currently cost in the region of €400,000 each year all of which has to be raised through voluntary effort. Thanks to the people of North Tipperary the bills have always been paid and the committee is confident that this great support will continue into the future. Paddy again thanked the people of Portroe for selecting the Hospice as the beneficiary of the 2022 Vintage Day and wished them every success in all their future endeavours.