A 15-day vintage tractor run undertaken by a Galway man along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way has raised over €16,000 for people in Gaza.
Pat Murphy braved the elements as he travelled 2,800km drive from Malin Head in Co. Donegal to Mizen Head in Co. Cork on his restored 1962 David Brown, which has a top speed of just 24kph.
The teacher and father of four from Corofin had been aiming to raise at least €5,000 for the aid organisation Concern Worldwide and its Gaza appeal.
However, his efforts which caught the attention of thousands of local residents and tourists and made news headlines saw him more than triple that amount.
Donations to Murphy’s GoFundMe page, entitled “Malin to Mizen – Charity Tractor Run for Concern”, currently stand at almost €16,500.
Tractor run
Arriving at Mizen Head, Pat said that he was very grateful to everyone who donated and supported the tractor run, adding that “the whole experience was wonderful”.
“The weather was the biggest challenge. I experienced heavy rain, wind, thunder and lightning so that wasn’t easy.
“I also had to be alert on the road because the roads are like spaghetti and the margins are cliff edges so there wasn’t much room for error.
“The best part of the tractor run was the beautiful scenery and meeting people along the route,” he said.
Pat was accompanied on his adventure by his friend Tony Harrison who drove a campervan for them to sleep in each night.
Another friend, Brendan Joyce, transported Pat’s tractor from Corofin where he grew up to Malin Head and collected it when they reached Ireland’s most south-westerly point at Mizen Head.
Pat chose Concern because of his past involvement with the charity as a volunteer in Rwanda in 1995 and 1996 following the genocide that occurred there.
“Having worked with Concern in Rwanda, it made me really appreciate how lucky we are here in Ireland. I experienced real poverty and the effects of war.
“Once I saw the horror in Gaza I knew I wanted to help.
“It’s important that the people of Gaza know we care about them and that they are not alone,” he said.
Concern’s chief executive David Regan praised Pat Murphy for his incredible fundraising achievement.
“We applaud and thank Pat Murphy and his friends and family supporting him for his incredible fundraising success.
“He has spent the last two weeks driving in an open top tractor along the Wild Atlantic Way and raised an enormous amount of money, which will go towards helping the people of Gaza,” he said.