Skibbereen Community School’s Farming Club organised a Charity Tractor Run on Sunday, Dec 5th in aid of the Oncology Ward at Crumlin Children’s Hospital. The idea was the brain child of Ricky Barrett, 3rd Year, who put the plan in motion with the help of the Farming Club teachers Mr. PJ Fitzgerald and Mr. Peter Swanton. Mr. Con O’ Donoghue from the Drinagh Tractor Run gave sound advice.
The Club, the entire school and the local community rallied around the idea. 4th and 5th Year Students gathered names and made warning signs. The Office staff dealt with registrations and the BAM Staff and Chris O’ Brien prepared the building. The SEN Department organised a giant raffle with school staff supplying all the raffle prizes. Ms. Pauline O’ Callaghan and her team made over 140 refreshment bags for all the participants. Many thanks to Biggs and Fields for their food sponsorship.
This was a great community event with students driving or students riding shotgun with their parents. Many thanks to the local Gardai who provided traffic management, the Civil Defence who provided medical support and the Coast Guard who provided the lead vehicle.
The weather was glorious with bright winter sunshine and blue skies when the 54 Tractors pulled out of the school car park. Ricky himself was the Grand Marshal and he led the cavalcade out the Tragumna Road, around Toe Head and back through Skibbereen town. The event was captured by Dominic Casey and Trevor McCarthy on their drones. Many thanks to all the teachers, parents and students who acted as marshals along the route and to Damien Long Travel who dropped and collected them.
Unfortunately due to Covid restrictions the building could not be used for refreshments. After the drive, Ricky addressed the crowd in the car park. He thanked everyone involved for their very generous donations and for all of the organisation involved. To date the event had raised in excess of €3500. It was truly a memorable event.
