A hive of activity is evident at this time of year in the noisy and colourful world of tractor runs.

For some participants, it’s a chance to get back out on a tractor when field-work is in scarce supply. For others, it’s a welcome opportunity to simply get out of the house – at a time when Christmas festivities may be starting to wear thin.

Kilbrittain – a scenic village and townland in Co. Cork just a mile or so from the coast – played host to a significant run yesterday (Sunday, December 30). Monies raised are destined for the Kilbrittain National School Autism Unit.

Given that the wider Cork region is a heavily mechanised farming area, it was not surprising to see a relatively big proportion of high-horsepower machines in the mix.

As these pictures might suggest, entries came from a variety of sources – farmers’ yards, contractors’ fleets and enthusiasts’ private collections. Some of the participating tractors were practically new; others were older than some of the drivers.

The pictures accompanying this article are from the Tractor Runs – Cork Facebook page. It’s a new site dedicated to tractor runs and associated gatherings right across Co. Cork. All of these pictures are courtesy of ‘Dave P‘.

Please bear in mind that these photographs depict just a small selection of what was present.