Presentation College tractor run raises €5,000 for Éist

ROAMING the north Carlow countryside on Sunday 8 March, there were 35 tractors from Presentation College completing the fourth annual tractor run in aid of Éist Cancer Support Centre.

The school has raised approximately €20,000 for the organisation in its four years of tractor runs, said Wes Fennell, agri-science teacher at Presentation College.

The idea of doing a tractor run in the school goes back to Wes’s agri-science class of 2021, when they expressed interest in organising one.

“There’s a hub of students and that’s their outlet. They meet up at tractor runs. For that cohort of students, it’s an opportunity to show their interest and enthusiasm (for tractors),” said Wes.

They decided to raise money for Éist because it’s a local organisation that is not government funded and because cancer affects so many families. The route they chose was from the school to Castledermot by MSD, around Duckett’s Grove and back.

While the older ones drove on the roads, Geraldine Joy ran the second annual kids’ tractor run on the basketball court at the school, with loads of children bringing their toy tractors for a run around the yard. Fellow teacher Janet Bradley also had a hand in co-ordinating the event. Wes pointed out the particularly hard work done by agri-science students Holly Hughes, Joanne Cranny, Seamus Bible and Alanna Sirr, who gave up their lunches to sell tickets.

Ticket sales from the tractor run made up around half of the money raised, with another €800 made from a no uniform day.

The students also went around town the day before the tractor run to ask for donations from local businesses. “Local businesses have been very good,” said Wes. “Altogether, we’re looking at €5,000 raised for Éist this year.”

* See this week's edition of The Nationalist for more photos