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About Us
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Fáilte, Welcome to the Western Vintage Tractor and Engine Website.
Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy your visit and feel free to comment or send us a message on our message board.
We are a small club located in the West of Ireland in County Mayo in the townland of Hollybrook between the towns of Claremorris and Ballinrobe.
This is good agricultural country with a range of various farming activities from dairying, beef, sheep, cereals, rootcrops and some horticulture, a wide range. This part of the country has a varied landscape of mountains, peatlands, lakes and good grassland and great unspoiled scenery.
Farm mechanisation started with us in or about the time of the first world war 1914-1918, dispite the fact that the holdings are small to medium, tractors and machinery were used to a great extent on the land. I think the influence of emigration to both America and England had a bearing in that money and new farming ways filtered back to the home folks which made life easier on the land.
Henry Ford and Harry Ferguson are to be thanked for that and to quote Ford; "I have walked many a weary mile behind horse and plough and know the judgury of it", we too know all about this.The tractors of Ford and Ferguson were the prodominent makes in these parts back then followed by David Brown,with other models like Allis Chalmers, Farmall and Porsche used to a lesser extent. Now days John Deere, Case and some others have moved in to compete with the other models.
You might ask the question, how did the club come about, and what sort of people are members etc.
It all began for me back about 1988 when I called to Art Killeens garage in Hollymount Co Mayo one evening enquiring as to where I could get a “Farmall Cub” tractor. Have you an interest in vintage tractors? said he. I have I said, I know where there is one but it could be difficult to buy it as this man may not sell, however I will give you his name.
As I enquired about his vintage tractor collection, he took off his glasses and invited me on a tour of his varied collection. I spent two hours with him and experienced his wonderful depth of knowledge on all of his machines.
We should start a vintage club here said he. Would we get a few people that would be interested said I. Art looked at me and said I know few lads who would join and I have a place up the road where we can meet. I also understand that a vintage club was talked about by other people years prior to this but nothing happened.
It took a few more informal meetings at Arts garage before a meeting was called at Arts house at Annfield Hollymount. Several informal sessions took place there, Art had put on a warm turf fire and made tea and sandwiches for all gathered. These for me were the most enjoyable social evenings I have experienced as a vintage enthusiast. The stories of tractors and those people that had them and the wide variety of models were amazing. This was coming from a few people who lived and worked in an area of about 15 miles radius from Arts house in south Mayo. I was proud that people from my county were part of the great agricultural revolution, and these men gathered here were part of it.
The stories and experiences of those gathered helped the group realise that we all had a common interest; vintage tractors and machines. All of the people present had some vintage piece and we agreed that a club should be formed immediately. Much discussion took place on a suitable name for the proposed club. The name Western Vintage Tractor and Engine Club was decided on as it would embrace a wide area of the west for membership.
At a meeting in Arts house in Annfield the proposal to form the club was adopted by the group present and the Western Vintage Tractor and Engine Club was founded in1988.
The founder members were: Chairman Art Killeen Hollymount,
Secretary: Tom Mannion Partry,
Treasurer: Pat Gibbons Annies,
Public relations: Tom Costello Kilquire,
Committee Members:Paddy Walshe Tullyduff, Michael Holleran Shrule,
Martin Lally Partry, John Murphy Horsevalley Shrule.
Once established the clubs next aim was to host a Vintage Rally. We soon realised that rallies cost money so the club started on a fundraising campaign and this went on for the most of the year. We also were looking for a suitable rally site and a few places came up. A chat between Malachy Ford of the Country Club Hollybrook and Art Killeen, at which a rally site was mentioned, resulted in Malachy offering his field and the club accepted his offer. The Country Club is situated on the main Claremorris/Ballinrobe road and is very accssible for vehicles and people. The club was now going well and about organise its first rally.
The Country Club, Hollybrook - 094 9540022
With a site now agreed, to put a show in place was the clubs next challenge. The club prepaired a rally plan, insurance was acquired and very successful rally took place in June 1990 and we have progressed from there.
Tom Mannion. 1st June 2000.
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