Ballylanders in Co. Limerick is a typical Munster village serving an agricultural community which is mainly dairy in nature.
Like many other communities, it is keen to get out and about to raise money for good causes, and recently, it was up to the local vintage tractor club which organised a run last weekend for its members to do just that.
Ideal weather
The Morning Star Vintage Club was lucky in that the day provided excellent weather for a tractor run, and unfortunately in some respects, second-cut silage, and it was this latter which called many tractors away on other duties.
But for those that did turn up, the sun shone and the scenery was of that mid-summer green with the verges full of nature enjoying the warmth of the season.
Conditions could not have been better for the cabless tractors which comprised a good proportion of the number on the road.
Massey Ferguson red dominated this particular segment although the Fordson Major of the club’s chairman, Noel O’Brien, was one exception, as was a Ford 2000 from the ill-fated 6X series of the late 1960s.
A pair of David Browns also caught the eye. Nicely preserved, these tractor are some of the most solid out there, and there are many on farms which should have expired years ago, but they just keep going.
Ballyanders to benefit
Other notable tractors included a freshly painted David Brown 995, a well-kept Ford 4600, which is still in active service, and a Brace of Marshall 802s brought along by the Hughes family.
The event was based at Ballylanders GAA club with proceeds going to the Bord na nÓg.
