‘Irish Rovers’ ready to roll on charity run for Critical

A QUARTET of vintage tractor enthusiasts are taking to the road, making a journey of more than 2,000km to raise funds for an emergency charity.

The four vintage enthusiasts plan to take on a challenge of driving their vintage tractors from John O’Groats in Scotland, Britain’s north-west tip, to Land’s End on the western tip of England as a fundraiser for Critical.

Critical is one of Ireland’s leading emergency medical response charities, with a network of volunteer emergency medical responders and emergency first responders.

The charity has a growing network of volunteer responders operating in 20 counties in cities, towns and villages.

The volunteers include more than 70 paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) from the National Ambulance Service along with other qualified personnel who attend serious incidents and emergencies in their local areas when they are off duty.

The group comprises Ballinascarthy’s Paddy Ryan, no stranger to long distance tractor runs, who will use a 1978 Leyland tractor on this trip. James Keohane from Ballinhassig will use his 1964 Fordson Major. Kieran O’Donoghue from Mitchelstown takes his 1984, Ford 7610 on the route while Tom Fitzgerald from Rathcormac will see the countryside from his 1952 Nuffield DH4 tractor.

The route of 2,240km will take them 22 days from May 2nd to May 25th, with the added journey of travelling from West Cork and through Northern Ireland to get to Scotland. Travelling to  Larne and by ferry to Stranraer, it will take them more than two days to travel from home to even reach the start line.

As such vehicles are not allowed on the faster and often more direct motorways, so they will use the minor roads to cover the route, often passing through towns, villages, and hamlets as they head southwards to their
goal.

While the four drivers, now dubbed, ‘The Irish Rovers’, are on their trip, a further fundraising event will take place from The Fish Basket restaurant at Long Strand.

Proprietor Peter Shanahan along with local involvement has announced that there will be a tractor, truck and car run from Long Strand on the May Bank Holiday Monday.  Funds  raised from this event will be used to support the fundraising trip and other local
charities.