Big crowd set to converge on North Longford for Colmcille Vintage Tractor and Car run
The Colmcille Vintage Car and Tractor Run has been going for over fifteen years and it has raised in excess of €150,000 for various local charities.
The Colmcille Vintage Car and Tractor Run will be held on Sunday, July 5 in aid of the local autism unit and the organisers are hopeful there will be strong local support.
Running for over fifteen years, the event has raised in excess of €150,000 for various local charities.
Chairman of the Colmcille Vintage Club, Micheál Shaughnessy established the popular annual event with John Scott in 2011.
Micheál praised the work of the committee and local people who help out with stewarding.
He stated this year the event will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Ferguson FE35 and the 80th anniversary of the Ferguson 20.
"We're just urging everybody to come out and support it and saying if anybody has these tractors to bring them out to mark the celebration."
Micheál said registration will begin at 10.30am at Murtagh's pub in Aughnacliffe and the run will depart from The Cross (Eircode: N39 D7W1) at 12.30pm and they will follow a different route this year.
He explained after leaving Aughnacliffe the convoy of vehicles will travel on the Ballinalee Road before it will stop at a midway point at Dring car park.
"On the second half of the journey we will be returning through Aughnacliffe, through Aughakine and taking in Lough Gowna shore, going into Colmcille down through Smear Hill and taking in a viewing point, just off where you can see seven counties.
"It's a scenic run because of the celebrations and then we will be returning to Colmcille through Aughnacliffe."
Micheál said the cars will be travelling from Aughnacliffe and into Arva and through Lough Gowna, Granard and back to Dring car park and we will all be meeting there at 2pm.
"The cars will actually have their own route and they will be going from Dring car park, over to Ballinalee, Drumlish, Ballinamuck, Moyne and returning to Aughnacliffe.
"This year we are doing it for the local autism unit in Colmcille.
"There are a few people affected in the area who use the autism unit and they are actually building a bigger unit in Colmcille School so we decided we would go with it this year."
Micheál said if anyone would like to donate they can come along on the day and there will be a bucket with a postbox design and people wishing to make a donation can do so by 'putting their donation in an envelope provided and post them in the post box'.
He stated people can also donate in advance of the event or 'beforehand in Murtaghs pub' and drivers will have a meal provided with an extra charge for passengers in cars if they want to avail of the meal.
Micheál said no passengers are allowed on tractors and they are looking forward to what should be a great day.