Young Culdaff man Gary Gillen was proud as punch to be among the 331 tractors in the Inish Tractor Run last weekend.
That’s because his dream of driving in the famous run has been 10 years in the making.
The inaugural Inish Tractor Run of 2014 featured a young lad from Templemoyle mesmerised by the display.
His father Gerard was marshalling the first event and a young Gary, sitting at a height at Malin Head gazing at the motors, was photographed by Ali Farren. The photo was later captioned: “Someday I am going to get a big tractor for the Inish Tractor Run”.
“I had a love for tractors and still have,” admits Gary, now 19 years old.
“I went every year with Daddy and sometimes people would let me jump on with them for a run on their tractor.”
Photo by Ali Farren
Fast forward a decade, and Gary was in the cab of a Fendt 720 Vario at Banba’s Crown on Sunday.
Now working for a Derry contracting company (Gorthill Contracting), Gary drives a Fendt 720 Vario daily, tackling tasks from silage to slurry. With his boss’s permission, he proudly drove his work tractor in this year’s run.
“It’s a big charity event for a number of great causes and this year was in memory of a young boy Thomas Gallagher,” Gary said.
Thomas Gallagher, aged 18, died alongside his friend Alana Harkin in a road traffic collision near Gleneely last November. He was remembered by all who took part and watched the run, which raised money for Donegal Hospice, Friends of Inishowen Hospice, and Bumblance Children’s Ambulance Service. The event featured a charity auction and a massive afterparty with Nathan Carter, with around 2,000 in attendance.
This year’s tractor run boasted its largest turnout in a decade, and the organisers expressed their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated on Sunday.
Watch this video from the day by Mike Murphy, Skyworx Aerial Solutions Limavady and the organisers of the Inish Tractor Run, Malin: