The annual Kilkenny College transition-year tractor run took place last Thursday evening in unseasonal weather conditions. The rain, sleet and biting cold temperatures did not deter the young drivers from their 16km journey which they had been planning for some time.

This popular event, now in its fourth year, included 36 licensed female and male drivers, two members of staff and two past pupils, one of whom was on a 104-year-old steam engine.

The run departed JVW Transport in Gowran and made its way along the N10 on to the N77 before finishing up in the college. On arrival, there were almost 400 boarders waiting to greet the drivers.

Growing popularity

George Tyrell of Edenderry, who is chair of the organising committee, said: “This event is growing year on year. We are very grateful to all the drivers who raised money for this year’s nominated charity, the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation.

“While the funds are still coming in, this event normally raises over €3,000 per annum. We are hopeful at this stage that we will exceed that figure. We had no costs and all funds raised will be going to the charity. This is made possible thanks to many people who kindly gave us some help. These included Sgt Gary Gordon and Garda Aidan Fitzpatrick and the Kilkenny Community Policing Unit who helped us with the risk assessment process and helped us hugely on the night, along with their colleagues in the Traffic Corps,” Tyrell said.

Kilkenny College is a co-educational boarding school of 820 students, of which 416 are boarders. Boarders come from Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly and Tipperary, mainly. The college has two ag science classes in fourth, fifth and sixth year, so they have one of the largest cohorts of students taking this subject in the country. Pupils at the college come from 13 counties and many are from farming and agribusiness-related families, many of whom provided tractors for the students for the road run.

Darragh’s special vintage tractor run

Darragh’s vintage tractor run takes place this Sunday, 8 May, from Doon, Co Limerick, where the local team will be registering tractors from 10am to noon. The run was started last year in memory of two-year-old Darragh O’Brian, who died tragically in 2014. He was a tractor enthusiast and he especially liked the vintage ones.

The community started the tractor run last year to do something positive in support of his heartbroken family. The route will follow a 30km round trip from Doon to Hollyford Community Centre, Tipperary, where refreshments will be provided.

To take part, tractors must be registered pre-1986 with no attachments or passengers.

Seamus O’Grady (087-2455156) is registering tractors for the event which last year attracted 174 vintage tractors. There is no registration fee – just donation buckets on the day with funds in aid of East Limerick Red Cross.

Kiltulla misses All-Ireland engine record

The first ever Kiltulla and District Vintage Show narrowly missed beating the All-Ireland Stationary Engine Challenge at its recent event in Co Galway.

Joanne Martin, president of the Irish Vintage Engine and Tractor Association (IVETA), and her team counted 254 engines running in the field, a figure which narrowly misses the All-Ireland record.

Niamh Harty, club secretary, said: “We have been delighted with the response to the show. It was a steep learning curve, and we have taken lots on-board for future events. Money raised from the event will go towards the Kiltullagh National School Building Fund.’’