Toome’ father and son join tractor run
A FATHER and son team from Toomevara are to join in a tractor run passing through north Tipperary this Thursday, August 17, to help raise funds for Bumbleance, the ambulance service specifically designed for children.
Roy Kennedy and his son Colin are taking part in the annual Eastern Vintage Club’s Ring of Kerry Tractor Run.
The event sets out every year from the village of Nobber in County Meath and makes its way to Killarney where participants like Roy and Colin then travel the Ring of Kerry to raise funds for nominated charities.
Last year the father and son team from Toomevara took part in event to raise funds to fight motor neurone disease.
Up to €500 was collected in just over an hour when the drivers of vintage tractors stopped off at the Kennedy household on the Golden Mile outside Toomevara for refreshments en route to Kerry.
“A sum of €27,000 was collected for the Motor Neurone Association last year from bucket collections alone,” Roy told The Guardian.
“People in the Toomevara area are so supportive of the event. We had one man who called to the house last year and handed us €100.”
Roy and Colin are hoping that people will be equally supportive this year as the chosen charity Bumbleance does tremendous work all over the country.
Operating nearly 2,000 trips per year across our 14 ambulances, the service provides safe and comfortable transportation for Ireland’s youngest patients as they travel between their homes and hospitals, hospices, treatment centres and respite centres nationwide.
The service is the first of its kind in the world. It has all the amenities of a regular ambulance, but includes the all-important extras to make a sick child’s journey as safe, comfortable and entertaining as possible.
LOVINGLY RESTORED
Like in last year’s event Colin Kennedy (21) will join the tractor run from his home in Toomevara for the trip to Kerry in a John Deere 3130 that he had his father lovingly restored after finding it completely rust-bound and “lying in a ditch”.
His father Roy will also be in the vintage cavalcade heading for Kerry, acting as an official steward for the event.
The tractor run will leave Birr after an overnight stay this Thursday morning and is expected to arrive in Toomevara by mid-morning.
Anyone who wishes to support to the efforts are invited to attend at the Kennedy home for the stage stop and contribute to a bucket collection, or contact Roy on 086-665 8948 to get details of how to make a donation.
MAD NOTION
What began as a “mad notion” in 2009 to drive vintage tractors from Co Meath around the Ring of Kerry has resulted in over €200,000 being raised for various charities over the past 14 years years and the organisers are hoping the public will be as generous as ever this year.
Among the fleet to be seen arriving in Toomveara this Thursday will be vintage models such as Massey Fergusons 390, 135,165 and 35, along with a Fordson Major, David Browne and John Deere 2020.