Another fine vintage in the Wee County
VISITORS from ages nine months to 90 attended the 11th annual Knockbridge Vintage Show in Co Louth last Sunday, September 10. Chairman Tom McGeeney said the event which attracted “three to four thousand visitors” brings together young and old every year and takes people back to their childhood.
“It’s lovely to see both young and older people involved. People like to go back to their childhood. It’s funny because I consider machinery from the ’60s to be vintage but then people in the club who are in their 20s sometimes consider equipment built in the ’80s or’ 90s to be vintage.”
The 150 volunteers oversaw various events, from sheep racing and threshing to a fashion show and flower arrangements displays.
Children were also well catered for, with bouncy castles on site and a special arts and crafts class from local craft business Crafty Rock. Puppet shows also entertained the younger crowd at different times throughout the day.
Country music star Declan Nerney appeared on stage at 3pm and encouraged participants in the jiving competition.
“Declan was a big hit. He played for two-anda-half hours and got the jivers going. Jiving and country music are really having a revival at the moment. It was great to see so many young people jiving along,” said Tom.
Planning of the show begins in January each year and over the next nine months all the pieces come together, but one thing that organisers can never plan for is the weather.
“We’ve been lucky that we’ve never had to cancel the event. Weather is our main worry every year as we’re an outdoor show and very dependent on it. We had a few showers on Sunday but it’s nothing we’re not used to, you stand in and get on with it,” added Tom.
Tom thinks the fact that the club raises money for charity is what makes it attractive to members. While they are “still counting” the funds from the event, they usually raise between “€15,000 and €20,000” for local causes.
“What we do turns in to money for other people who are less well off. It’s so important, and charities are always so grateful for what we give them and we’d love to give them even more if we could.”
This year’s charities include St Vincent de Paul, the North Louth Hospice, the Irish Heart Foundation and the local soup kitchen.
Tom hopes that the event will continue to grow and feels it is remarkable how it has gotten so big when you consider its humble beginnings.
“A small group of like-minded people got together in 2006 with an interest in old machinery. From small beginnings we really have grown and it’s great to keep it moving and take people back in time to their schooldays when we can.”