€13.5m worth of tractors take to the road at Barnaderg for charity run

OVER €13 million worth of tractor hardware was on display last Sunday in Barnaderg at the start of the North Galway Tractor Run that’s expected to pull in over €13,000 for the Galway Hospice Foundation.

Almost 300 tractors took part – ranging from 50 year old vintage models to modern super-tractors valued at well over €100,000 – in one of the most spectacular road events of the year in the North Galway area.

The tractor run began and ended in Barnaderg – starting shortly after 1pm and ending at around 4pm – after the completion of a route that took in Brierfield, Moylough, Mountbellew, Menlough, Skehana, Monivea and Abbeyknockmoy.

The giant convoy spanned for several miles along the route and attracted large groups of spectators, even if the second part of the run clashed with the first half of the Ireland/England rugby match at the Aviva Stadium.

Main organiser of the event, Paul McWalter, told the Farming Tribune, that the response to the second staging of the North Galway Tractor Run had been phenomenal.

“We had tractors taking part from places like Kilkenny, Mayo, Clare, Westmeath and Roscommon – as well of course as all the local participants – the response has just been wonderful,” said Paul McWalter.

He said that they estimated the total value of tractors at the event to be of the value of €13.5 million with almost 300 taking part in the run.

“People have been very generous and supportive of this event. An awful lot of people put in a huge effort to ensure that this run went off without any hitches – I would also like to pay a special thanks to the Gardai for their escorts and overall support to us,” said Paul McWalter.

Last year’s tractor run raised almost €10,000 for Palliative Care at Arus Mhuire in Tuam and Sunday’s event is already expected to raise over €13,000 for Galway Hospice.

This was only the second staging of the event but already plans are in place for next year’s run when it is hoped to break the 300 tractor mark.

“We’ve been taken aback in a good way at the support for this event. Farmers from all over Galway and from furthere afield as well, have really rowed in behind it.

“I saw something like this taking place in Kilkenny a few years ago and thought to myself that we could make the same thing happen here. So far, so good and already we’re looking forward to next year,” said Paul McWalter.