Sunday 25 January 2009
There it was the big decision on Sunday the Lenister Ruby Match in a pub with friends in Ashford or the Craanford Vintage Run? In hindsight it was an easy decision but on the day…

As you might remember it was a lovely sunny morning, well it was where we live! A crisp fresh brightness stirred us into action yet after several attempts the kids were still not dressed. The debate over what to do had been won and lost on the strength of tractors outdoors vs. an hour in the car to watch Rugby indoors in a pub albeit with friends! As we left the house at midday and began the 16 mile drive to Craanford it started to rain. Yet I still directed us up to the monument in Gorey and out the Carnew Road to Craanford.

It was not that soft rain but torrential rain.

As we approached Craanford I could see the field full of tractors and muck.  We drove up to the field where the vintage vehicles were assembled, what a sight. But there was no way any of us were getting out of the car. So we turned around and headed back down the road, parking at the new butchers (I hear good things about the new craft butchers and he seemed to be having a January sale of meat which looked like excellent value).

I decided I would go up the road and see what was going on, hearing the pipe band starting I returned to stand close to the car, none of the children would leave the car they sat inside with the windows half open. Vintage trucks lovingly restored and kept in pristine condition trundled down the road these were followed by vintage cars including a Corvette, Trans Am, Morris Minor, Rolls Royce, Fiat, Ford Capri’s and even a Renault 4 (haven’t seen one of them in years). The tractors came then in spits and spurts some of them really whizzed by making it impossible to get any sort of a decent photo.

Some of the tractors were so basic, hunks of metal, a bucket seat, four wheels, a large steering wheel, metal rods and a couple of wires! My other half reminded the kids that when these tractors were out working in the field in their hay-day they had no cabs and worked in all weather. On a day like Sunday that really hit home how a farmers is a farmer hail, shine, sleet or snow. Such a cheerful bunch driving those tractors down the road in horrendous conditions.

Well done to the Craanford Vintage Road Run participants and organisers for getting out there on such an awful day and doing their bit to raise money for the North Wexford Hospice. They drove to Gorey then on to Camolin where they looped back to Crannford, I understand the trucks and cars went on to Bunclody. 

Needless to say we did not wait for the full run to pass by, I got back into the car about halfway through. My coat is still drying out. Although car bound the kids enjoyed it, all sorts of questions were raised about speed, design and age of vehicles, we all agreed the car with the chicken sounding horn was funny. We enjoyed a run into Gorey behind some of the tractors, ducked down a back street only to reconnect with the Tractor Run on the Main St., an amazing sight to see all these tractors trundling along Esmonde St.

So mental note for next year start off earlier bring welly boots, extra waterproofs, large umbrella and a picnic!