'Our Drive to Remember' campaign
The 2018 National Ploughing Championships sees the conclusion of ‘Our Drive to Remember’ 32 county tractor drive campaign organised byEmbrace FARM, the farm accident support network.
The tractor ride is in memory of lives lost and seriously injured on Irish farms and in raising awareness for farm safety. The journey began at Tullamore Show on August 12th with a tractor kindly sponsored by WR Shaw (Tullamore) to use on the drive. The tractor has moved around the country, with approximately one county per day covered in its miles, thanks to the kind support of Macra Na Feirme clubs nationally and Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster in Northern Ireland who came on board to drive the tractor and coordinate it within each county. The tractor has been tracked by a GPS locator from Easytrack GPS Systems during its journey.
The tractor reaches its final parking place next Tuesday for the opening of the National Ploughing Championships. With the kindness of the National Ploughing Association, the tractor will partake in the opening ceremony on Tuesday morning. Being driven to the Macra Na Feirme Stand where it will be displayed throughout the week for the championships, a candle representing the lives the tractor has touched will be lit at the opening ceremony by Brian Rohan and Willie John Kehoe ahead of the main opening ceremony.
Throughout the 32 counties, Wellies have been placed in a link box attached to the tractor by families who have been affected by a farming accident. These Wellies will be displayed at the Embrace FARM stand within the Health & Safety Authority Village at Block 4, Row 14, Stand 299.