Derrylin Community Tractor Pull and Fun Day

On the 8th August, parishioners from Kinawley Holy Trinity held a charity fundraiser in aid of the Parish Hall and Friends of the Cancer Centre

Derrylin doesn’t do things by halves, and the Community Tractor Pull and Fun Day on Saturday 8th August proved it once again. What began as one man’s idea grew into a four-mile tractor pull along the road from Drumany Church to the Parish Hall, followed by an afternoon of food, fun and family entertainment for all ages in aid of the Parish Hall and Friends of the Cancer Centre.

The Pull

The convoy set off from Drumany at Noon, and it was immediately clear that this was not going to be a leisurely stroll. Team 1 set such a brisk early pace that our cameraman had to break into a run just to keep up. It was a promising, if breathless, start to the event.

The four miles from Drumany to Derrylin were managed with a series of carefully-timed breaks, allowing patient drivers to pass along the road and giving fresh pulling teams the chance to take their turn on the pulling rig. The planning paid off: the whole effort arrived into the Hall car park before 1:30pm.

Olive Roe coordinated the pull from the front throughout, keeping teams organised, spirits high and the whole operation moving smoothly along the route. At the Derrylin end, Hall Committee stalwarts Suzannah Cathcart and Elizabeth Rutledge were waiting to welcome the tired but triumphant pullers home, helping guide them through the final leg into the car park to a well-earned rest.

And what a tractor it was. Derek Thornton had lovingly restored Willie Breen’s old Davy Brown, engine and all, over many months. Its original power plant was a solid 35 horsepower, but for the day itself, Derek was more than happy to let it run under an altogether different kind of power: a 40 personpower engine, made up of willing volunteers, with the tractor’s own engine along for the ride rather than doing the work. It’s not every day a tractor gets a rest like that.

Family Fun Day

With the hard graft of the road behind them, attention turned to the Family Fun Day at the Hall. The weather, mercifully, played its part, staying dry for the whole afternoon. There was even the odd ray of sunshine. A large and cheerful crowd gathered to enjoy a packed programme of entertainment.

There was a hugely popular Afternoon Tea, coordinated by Yvonne Swan and a team of volunteers, to refuel pullers and visitors alike; face painting for the younger attendees, and a visit from Fermanagh Fun Farm that proved a highlight for children throughout the day. Bouncy castles kept the youngsters’ energy levels high, while ice cream, burgers and coffee kept everyone well fed and watered. Sports coaching gave the more energetic visitors something active to do, and for those who fancied trying their feet at something new, Tina of Modern Country Moves led jiving lessons, with Vincy Walmsley providing the music that carried across the Hall grounds all afternoon. A display of vintage vehicles, Derek’s newly restored Davy Brown proudly among them, rounded out an afternoon with something for everyone.

Thank You

An event of this scale and success simply doesn’t happen without an enormous amount of goodwill and hard work from a great many people.

Thanks are due first to Seamus, Colm and Joanne from Ernco, who gave a thorough safety briefing and helped ensure the pull along the road was managed safely from start to finish, and to the PSNI and our team of marshals for their assistance with traffic management throughout. Sharon Finlay kept the pulling teams going with breakfast baps before the off, and the Hall Committee deserve enormous credit for months of work both behind the scenes and out in the community, building excitement for the day and gathering sponsorship to make it all possible.

Particular thanks go to Derek Thornton, the man with the plan, who not only dreamed up the whole event but restored the tractor at its centre with his own hands. Thanks also to Archdeacon Hazel Hicks, for a lovely prayer and blessing before the pull got underway, and to St Aidan’s High School for the generous use of their car park for the day.

Finally, thank you to every member of the pulling teams, and to everyone across the community, near and far, who sponsored the effort, supported it in whatever way they could, and came along to enjoy the day itself. The event showed what a community can do when it pulls together.