Pictures: Kilkenny College pulls out all the stops for epic tractor run!

The annual Kilkenny College Transition Year Tractor Run rolled back into Kilkenny College last Thursday evening, managing to raise €4,000 for chosen charity Barnardos.

This was the 13th such run. This yearly fundraiser was organised by a small but hard working TY group headed up by Emma Tutty and Tristan Furlong. Photographer Harry Reid was on hand to capture all the pictures from the event.

Jo Garry and Alison Kelly of Barnardos were on hand to meet the drivers. The 45 tractors made the journey from Gowran to the College.

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The organising committee thanked Garda Aidan Nolan and Garda Andrew Neill, along with Sgt John Duffy for their help. It was great to have past pupil Garda Robbie Sparling (Class of 2015) back to help his alma mater again.

The 45 tractors along with four staff tractors were joined by a Marshall Steam Engine from 1912 .The proud owner is Ben Tomkins, who is on staff at Kilkenny College and was part of the first run in 2013.

A number of teachers were part of the convoy again this year — Lesley Threlfall , Jeff Carter, George Wallace and George Smith. The convoy travelled the 16km in the Carlow Road along the hard shoulder before turning down the Ring Road. It was a short run along the Castlecomer Road.

As well as the 450 boarders who were on hand, a large number of day pupils and members of the college community turned out to welcome the drivers back to school. The Hegarty Transition Year Tractor Run Cup was awarded to F6’s Lucy Williamson. The judges were William Hutchinson, Les Caldbeck Robin Wallace who all have extensive agricultural experience and are past pupils of the College.

The sub-committee would like to thank the judges, JVW Transport, Kilkenny Community Policing Unit, McCarthy Commercials, as well as Philip Ryan along with other staff for assisting.
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