Joe Flanagan has a unique Fendt family of tractors. The Caherlistrane, Co Galway, former contractor and farmer has brought together a collection of tractors that are not just rare in Ireland, but also across Europe.
Joe Flanagan’s Fendt tractor line-up dates from 1953. It now includes a one-cylinder, two-cylinder and three-cylinder tractor as well a very special four-cylinder Fendt 308 model that was his first Fendt, back in 1984.
This special collection of tractors originated from the first Fendt, the two-wheel-drive 308 model that he bought from the then Irish importers Favorit Tractors, who operated from Tallaght in Dublin from the 1970s through the to the 2000s. Joe bought the tractor for £8,000 at the time with a trade-in of a David Brown 1490 that was beginning to break his heart.
This Fendt 308 tractor has special appeal to Joe as he has clocked more than 20,000 hours of reliable work with it. He used it for baling and a host of other contracting duties right up until the late 2000s and has rebuilt it once in that time.
The tractor was destroyed in a fire and while it was doubtful if it was worth restoring, Joe had such attachment to it and what it had done for him, that we could not confine it to the scrapheap. Fendt service expert and longstanding friend of Joe’s was Bill Doherty, formerly from Favorit Tractors and he set about restoring the tractor to its full former glory.
The cost of the restoration was more than would be economically justified, and was more than just a metal job. The tractor has since completed a 32-county charity run in aid of cancer research.
The other older Fendts have joined Joe’s Fendt family in recent years. He bought the 1953 Dieselross model from Germany and had to give almost a personal guarantee that it would be in good hands.
The German family who used the tractor on a small hillside holiday home was reluctant to sell it and have kept in touch with Joe since it arrived. They saw some of his other tractors and knew that it was destined for a good home.
Joe bought the 1963 two-cylinder Dieselross 2 in Holland after going there with some friends to buy another tractor for farm and contracting work. He was so taken by the tractor that he bought it and had it delivered home soon afterwards.
The third of the older generation Fendts, the Fix 2 Dieselross, is also from a German farm. This had a side-mounted mower fitted which was typical of the time. Joe used the mower for a period for topping grassland where it was very flexible and manoeuvrable.
So why the Fendts? Joe’s love affair with the German brand was confirmed with the arrival of the 308 model back in 1984. The tractor was ahead of its time with a level of comfort that set it apart from the other brands.
The Fendt brand was an unusual tractor in the area in the 1980s, although there were some Fendts in use on the Galway/Mayo border with a good reputation. Joe’s experience with the brand has been impressive enough to encourage him to complete the family with one-, two-, three- and four-cylinder models.
This weekend’s Mad for Models show at the Woodford Dolmen Hotel in Carlow promises to highlight some very special new models for 2016. Farmers and model enthusiasts Tommy and Madeline Fennelly, who run Mad or Models, stage an annual show and invite their friends and customers to be part of the special event.
One of the model highlights for this year’s show will be the new 1:32 scale Siku and Wiking models of the massive Fendt 1050 tractor. This is a special tractor with a rating of 500hp under the bonnet from a 12.4-litre six-cylinder MAN engine. It’s a far cry from Joe Flanagan’s 1953 single-cylinder Dieselross model also featured on this page.
The Mad for Models show runs from 11am to 6pm on Sunday next, 20 March and entry prices are €5 for adults and children €2.
John Deere is hosting a special green and yellow celebration field event on weekend of 24 and 25 September this year at the company headquarters in Langar, Nottingham, to commemorate 50 years of the company in the UK and Ireland.
For the special heritage field event John Deere is inviting John Deere tractor and machinery owners to take part. The company wants to gather together examples of John Deere products sold through our UK and Irish dealers during the period 1966 to 2016.
There will be demonstration and working plots for those who would like to bring implements (preferably John Deere) and use them, plus parades and prizes. John Deere has a dedicated webpage at www.JohnDeere.co.uk/50years with more information updates about the event.
Greybridge John Deere theme in August
Limerick-based Greybridge Vintage Club plans to stage a major John Deere 50th anniversary event on Sunday 7 August at Meanus, Co Limerick.
Club secretary John Harty (085-863 2200), told the Journal that they are inviting owners of any John Deere brand machines, tractors, combines, balers, etc, to the vent and naturally, the older and rarer the better.
19 March Irish Seat to Atlantic Ocean Tractor Run Dublin 01-843 7061
19 March Charity Tractor Pull, Bell’s Farm, Kilkubbin Down 0044-7767-271764
20 March Ballyglass Heritage Club Auto Jumble, Claremorris Mayo 086-820 0652
20 March Rathcormac Vintage Club Road Run, Rathcormac Cork 087-810 1828
20 March Camross Club Run & Ploughing, Mountrath Laois 087-979 3807
20 March Thurles Andy Horgan Memorial Road Run Tipperary
20 March Mad for Models Show, Woodford Dolmen Hotel Carlow 087-267 0737
20 March Mark Quinn Memorial Tractor Run, Castletown Meath 087-686 2284
26 March Easter Maurice Collins Vintage Tractor Run Kerry 087-751 1831
27 March Easter Sunday Maurice Collins Rally Kerry 087-751 1831
27 March Tipperary Vintage Rally, Tipperary Racecourse Tipperary 087-757 9358
27 March Bernard Cassells Tractor Run, Tubberclair Westmeath 087-996 6031
27 March Ballincollig Vintage Run Cork 087-909 6616
28 March Ballyfin Vintage Club Ploughing Match Laois 087-261 2408
28 March Meath Vintage AGM, Teach na Teamhrach, Trim Meath 087-251 6771
3 April Lios Dearg Vintage Tractor Road Run, Belmont Offaly 087-769 8729
10 April IVETA Jumble Swallows Quarter, Donaghmore Laois 086-867 2664
10 April Moone Classic & Vintage Road Run Kildare 086-853 7691
17 April Battle Of The Hills Vintage Road Run Cavan 087-632 9362
24 April South Eastern Vintage Auto Jumble, Ardattin Carlow 087-238 5195
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