The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Our Betsy is off on tour again
‘BETSY’ may be more than 50 years motoring, but she is still ready for road, and this time she is heading on tour of the length of the UK – from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Her latest journey will see her travel almost 1,000 miles as she travels the Eastern coast of the UK this May.
Behind the wheel will be driver Kevin Curran who, along with his sturdy Fordson Dexta tractor, is no stranger to the road.
The duo and their team will head off on the UK trip in a bid to raise funds for cancer research in memory of Kevin’s wife, Eileen, who passed away in 2009 from lung cancer.
‘Betsy’ was remodelled using two old tractors and was put back on the road for vintages shows before taking to the road to raise funds for cancer. Her first trips were from Mizen to Malin and vice versa – one of which was a 21-hour nonstop journey – but the trip that made the most headlines was when Kevin and Betsy undertook Route 66 in the US, raising more than €27,000 for cancer research.
Kevin has now raised more than €80,000 for cancer research thanks to ‘Betsy’, which his wife named before she passed away. Having been in retirement for a number of years, Kevin decided that it was time to get back on the road again, and the UK journey was born.Betsy will be transported to the UK to begin her journey from John O’Groat’s, and Kevin is seeking support from a haulage company to help him bring her to the UK. They will then set off travelling more than 100 miles a day, averaging 10 hours on the road. All donations to support Kevin can be made through text with details at www. cancer.ie/getinvolved/fundraise/how to donate.