Vintage Drive: the Epilogue
Well, it was more than three years ago in a corner of the Stray Inn, in the time-honoured way of a conversation 'over a pint', that the starter button for the Mac and Norman's Vintage Drive was first pressed.
Last night, in a third result of the event, the organisers handed over a cheque for €32,000 to the Irish Cancer Society, making a grand total raised so far of €85,000 for cancer research.
An awful lot more than the initial €5,000 a year for five years which the organisers had committed themselves to raising.
Mareid Mangan of the Irish Cancer Society gave them a 'huge thank you' at last night's presentation, which came after a lively auction of a number of items left over from the day of the event itself.
"It is an enormous amount of money and a major feat of fundraising," she said, adding that it will be 'very well spent'.
A bouquet was presented by Norman Eagar to Anne Sully, 'the real chief of the committee'.
In this year's run, up to 200 vehicles were driven in what has now become one of the highlight days out in the year for the farming community and anyone else interested in agricultural and other vintage machinery.
Brian Byrne.
