The Crop Cruisers have joined forces with Tramore Chamber of Commerce and Tramore Amusement Park to host a tractor run being dubbed Ireland’s first ‘Farmers’ Bash to the Beach.’

Beach bash

The charity run will take place on Sunday, April 22. It will depart from two locations: the showgrounds in Piltown, Co. Kilkenny, at 1:00pm, and the community centre in Kill, Co. Waterford at 1:30pm.

The route will take in: Piltown; Portlaw; Carroll’s Cross; Kill; Bunmahon; Copper Coast Road and Tramore amusement park. Drivers of tractors that will be travelling at a leisurely pace are asked to leave from Kill.

“We have organised this – our first ever tractor run –  as a family day out before the silage kicks in, in May, and things get really busy in summer,” said Stuart Downie, the Piltown dairy farmer who founded the Crop Cruisers.

The Crop Cruisers recently purchased a Case Magnum 7140 tractor which is currently being spruced up for the occasion.

It’s 240hp; a ’91 machine that originated in the USA, and we will be unveiling it at the run.

Drivers will receive complimentary refreshments, stickers and passes to the amusement park. The entry fee for the charity event is €20 and all funds will go to Cork Brain Tumour Support Group.

Crop Cruisers

The Crop Cruisers, which is based in Carrick-on-Suir, specialises in agricultural DVDs as well as clothing. Its ‘Christmas Tractors of Carrick-on-Suir’ is a hugely popular event.

“I came up with the idea after a friend went to see the Coca Cola truck and was disappointed with it,” Stuart said.

“She commented that she would rather look at tractors on the streets of Carrick, so I took a mad notion to line up illuminated tractors for Christmas in 2014, to raise money for charity. It was a great success and has become an annual event,” he said.

Last Christmas we had massive crowds on the streets and 120,000 individual lights. We raised €1,200 for charity.

“People travelled from all over the country, including Northern Ireland. The icing on the cake was having The Grassmen from Ballymena attend.

“This year at The Crop Cruisers, we have two DVDs in production and we are adding GAA-style tops to our clothing range. We will also be at the National Ploughing Championships and Tullamore Show,” said Stuart.

Meanwhile, let’s hope they get the weather they are expecting for that inaugural tractor run.