Locals set to take on vintage fundraising run from Malin Head to Mizen Head
From Malin Head to Mizen Head, five men are to take on the 430 mile trip in their vintage tractors for a fundraiser in memory of the late Joe Butler of Mayfield, Cork and Kilmacow, Kilkenny.
Rathcormac man, Tom Fitzgerald and Kieran O’Donoghue from Mitchelstown, are to take on the challenge alongside West Cork locals James Keohane and John Mulcahy, and Joe’s brother, Kilkenny man Keith Butler.
Speaking with TheAvondhu, Tom Fitzgerald explained that Joe was a Kilkenny man who married Cork woman, Geraldine and settled in Mayfield over 20 years ago.
Joe sadly passed away on October 15, 2021, at the age of 62 after it was discovered that he had a brain tumour.
“Joe was a very well known figure at local vintage rallies and road runs. He was a very good friend of all of us and we had talked about doing this run about three years ago.
“I got knocked out and was in the hospital at the time, so we put it off for another year. Then Joe went into hospital, he was only 62, and next thing, he was gone,” Tom said.
SET FOR ROAD
And so, in Joe’s memory, the five friends decided they would undertake the run over the June bank holiday weekend in aid of the Irish Cancer Society and Marymount Hospice.
On Wednesday, June 1, vintage machines consisting of a Nuffield Universal, two Fordson Majors, a David Brown and a Ford 3600, ranging in vintage from 46 to 70 years old, will be brought to Malin Head before the men set out on their journey to Mizen Head on June 2. Along the way, there will be overnight stops in Donegal town, Ballinasloe, Kilmallock and Bantry.
The trip will see the vintage tractors pass through Malin Head, Ballybofey, Donegal, Boyle, Roscommon, Ballinasloe, Portumna, Scariff, Killaloe, Annacotty, Bruff, Kilmallock, Newmarket, Gneeveguilla, Kenmare, Glengarriff and Bantry on what will be an epic undertaking. The trip is expected to finish at Mizen Head on the bank holiday Monday, June 6, after five days of
hard driving.
“We’re all vintage enthusiasts and we said we would do it this year in memory of Joe. He was a great character whose good humour and wit brightened up many a vintage rally and road run back through the years and is sadly missed. We have a GoFundMe page set up which is going well at the moment and we all have sponsorship cards as well, if anyone wants to donate,” Tom added.
Support will be provided to the team along the way by Bartlemy man, James O’Donovan, who will be driving a truck in tow in case of any breakdowns, along with Tony Kenneally and Breda Keohane.
The Malin Head to Mizen Head Vintage Tractor Road Run group thank all those who have helped and supported them on this journey and have also thanked all those who have donated to date to the cause.
Their GoFundMe and Facebook page (‘Malin Head to Mizen Head Vintage Tractor Road Run’) will provide updates. For further information, contact Tom Fitzgerald at (087) 8101828.