Local vintage enthusiasts Kieran O'Donoghue (left) and Jack Hyland, with the welcoming banner in Mitchelstown for the border County Vintage Grassmen, that visited the town last Wednesday evening (October 26) as they passed the halfway point on their 32 county tractor run, starting and finishing in Castleblaney, County Monaghan.

32 county tractor run participants enjoy local hospitality

Having put in a serious amount of work getting their tractors ready for up to a year, the Border County Vintage Grassmen with fifteen vintage tractors ranging from 1961 – 1964 and four support vehicles undertook a c.1,200kms 32 county tractor run around the island of Ireland.

They left Castleblayney, Co Monaghan on Sunday, October 23 at 6am and on Wednesday evening, October 26 they arrived in Mitchelstown, via Brosna, Newmarket, Kildorrery, well over halfway there, hitting the 778km mark or so of the marathon journey.

There was a warm Mitchelstown welcome for the group, with Cllr Deirdre O’Brien there with Kieran O’Donoghue, his Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club colleagues and other vintage enthuasists.

The Firgrove Hotel and Clongibbon House was home for the night and early on Thursday morning they were back on the road to continue the journey home to Castleblaney. Travelling through Ballyporeen, Clogheen, Ardfinnan, Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir and Mullinavat would see them complete the Munster counties as they hit the 866k mark and the R704 and New Ross, with c.300k to the finish and a significant adventure and achievement completed, with a significant windfall for four local cancer charities in their area, The Castleblayney Cancer Society, Ballybay Cancer Society, Carrickmacross Cancer Society and Marie Curie Cancer Care Newry/ Mourne.

Well done to all concerned, we hope you enjoyed your visit to The Avondhu area.