The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Motoring on for great causes
THE West Kerry Tractor Run – Mórchuaird Tarracóra Chorca Dhuibhne – enjoyed an outstanding debut in 2018. But, often, following up on that kind of success can be harder than getting it right first time around.
Not so in this case. On Sunday, 135 tractors were registered in support of three great causes, and after departing Lios Póil at midday, the drivers took to Dingle town, completed a loop of the western side of the peninsula, and returned to town for good food, entertainment, and a superb auction, all at the Kavanagh family’s Marina Inn, the event’s hub.
This year’s primary beneficiary was the West Kerry Mental Health Association, which will receive half of the funds raised, while the other half will be split between Dingle’s Gáirdín Mhuire centre and the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association – two causes close to the hearts of co-chairmen Séamus Devane and John Patrick O’Sullivan.
While it’ll be a while yet before the organisers arrive at a final figure, the outlook is good based on funds raised to date, and John Patrick told The Kerryman that the weather was a huge boost to the event’s success.
“Like all outdoor events, the weather made it,” John Patrick said. “The sun shone on us. The man above was looking after us!
“The feedback has been very good. Once again I would like to thank the Kavanagh family for their help, and they put on food, entertainment, and hosted a brilliant auction after the run. Dónal Ó hAiniféin was our auctioneer, he got a great reaction, and the auction alone raised over €3,000.
“In terms of choosing the West Kerry Mental Health Association, we hoped to do our bit to chip away at that horrible stigma about mental health. The event was as much about raising awareness of the three causes as much as it was about raising funds.”
The run was only the highlight of a weekend’s worth of events. Collections took place around Dingle, while on Saturday, Dingle Mart hosted a day’s activities featuring everything from displays of threshing, súgan, and wren traditions; children’s activities; falconry; and entertainment by the Breen brothers.
John Patrick extended thanks to his fantastic committee, as well as to stewards, local gardaí, and the Dingle Business Chamber for their assistance in helping the event run smoothly. The committee also collaborated with Corca Dhuibhne Macra this year, and their assistance proved vital to Sunday’s success.
“Our GoFundMe page, ‘West Kerry Tractor Run’, is still open for anyone who’d like to donate,” John Patrick added. “You can also donate into the event’s Credit Union account, and you can get the details of that by phoning me at (087) 280 9801.”