De Courcey Harvest Working Day will take place on the Hayes Farm, Kilkerran, Ballinspittle, Co. Cork on Bank Holiday Monday 1st August 2022.
Old time tillage and harvest working displays. Competition ploughing. Static displays of stationary engines, cars, tractors and commercial vehicles
De Courcey Harvest Working Day 2016 in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Bind and local groups. Originally advertised for August Bank Holiday Monday is now rescheduled for Sunday 7th of August in Ballinadee, Bandon, Co, Cork.
The event now in it’s 6th year will focus on the 80th Anniversary of the Ferguson tractor brand. We will have a large working display of Ferguson system implements as well as our usual display of Combine Harvesters, binders and horse drawn equipment.
For further info contact John O’Neill on 087 266 7296 or John Quinn on 086 8162 529. Check out our website www.decourceyvintage.com or find us on Facebook @decourceyvintage.
Ballinspittle in De Courcey Country is famous for miracles but the 3rd of August 2015 saw a miracle happen in Ballinadee on the other side of the parish. After prolonged heavy rain on the previous night the Bank Holiday Monday dawned with sunshine and a fresh breeze to dry out the corn for the annual harvest working day.
By midday conditions were perfect for cutting and lasted for the full day however in the evening time when the harvest was complete the opening in the weather vanished and down again came the heavy rain.
The De Courcey harvest working day is now in its fifth year. Previously the event has been held at Barrell’s Cross, Kinsale but this year it was held on the land of Paddy and Anne McCarthy in Ballinadee. The McCarthy family have a long association with farming, machinery and especially harvest equipment.
The theme selected for the 2015 harvest day was “A century of change” and featured horse drawn machines right up to modern combine harvesters. The official opening was performed my Mr Michael Moroney of the Irish Farmers Journal.
On arriving at the site visitors were met by a line-up of vintage combines all oiled and greased having been prepared in advance for the big day. But before the combines took to the fields, the day’s action began in the tilling area with vintage tractors joining Donal McCarthy’s Clysdale horses ploughing and tilling at the top of the field. Also in this section was Tommy Hales with his Lanz Bulldog. Alongside the tilling area O Sullivan’s thresher from Caheragh was lining up with Lordon’s steam engine from Bandon.
Finally the last of the tractors arrived for the static display and the cutting began. First away were the older trailed combines and the smaller self-propelled machines. Among these were several Massey Fergusons including the 1986 MF16 owned by Marcus McKenna and Dan Joe O Sullivan. This machine previously belonged to the Dept. of Agriculture and was used on the experimental crop plots. Also in this group was Jim Connolly’s 1969 Ransomes Cavalier 902 a rare machine indeed in this country.
As the combine worked away Con Ahern with help from the O’Donoughue family tackled up a team of three draught horses to the reaper and binder. The binder originally belonged to his father and was on loan for the harvest day. The sight of three horses working as a team to pull the binder drew a large crowd.
When the older combines finished up, the yellow machines took over. There were various New Hollands including the landowner Paddy McCarthy in his 1974, 1530 model. This machine was bought from Henry Goods in Kinsale in 1976. Paddy was only sixteen years of age at the time and is still working the same combine. The crowds were well entertained into the afternoon with the bigger machines making short work of the remaining corn.
Throughout the day music and entertainment was to be had at the grandstand. The picnic area was full with people enjoying food from several outlets set up for the day. The static display had an impressive line-up of tractors and cars. Some nice landrovers attended including Kieran Sisk with his impressive 1979 series three and caravan combination, a familiar sight on the rally circuit. Also in the static area was John Sullivan from Sandycove with the 1973 Dania D5000 self-propelled silage harvester which he has owned since 1974.
When all thought the day was over there was a surprise in store. The combine harvesters were not loading up for the trip home just yet. They were setting up in the next field to cut in formation for the benefit of the many spectators who were taking photographs.
When the cutting was over and the last combine shut down the crowd gathered for the draw to see who would be making the trip to Paris. When the draw was over people gathered around the picnic area. Combine men came to have some well-earned food from the barbeque, a cup of tea or something stronger after the day following their machines.
The talk amongst everyone was about the miraculous break in the weather and how once again De Courceys managed a successful and memorable Harvest Day.The Club would like to thank the McCarthy Family and the Twomey Family for their support in running the event and thanks also to the army of volunteers who every year turn out to help us. We look forward to 2016 and another Harvest.
Prizes from DeCourcey Harvest Day draw as follows.
Holiday to Disneyland Paris.
Sponsored by Barters travel Bandon.
Winner Cally O Leary, Kinsale.
Weekend in Killarney.
Sponsored by International Hotel.
Winner John Sutton.
Golf 4 Ball at Kinsale Golf Club.
Winner Julia Flynn, Ballinadee.
All Ireland Tickets,
Sponsored by Courcey Rovers Rovers GAA Club.
Winner Donal Twomey.
Meal for two,
Speckled Door Old Head.
Winner Martina Coughlan.
This day two weeks the 2015 De Courcey Harvest Working Day takes place. It’s launch took place in Ballinadee last Monday, the 13th of July.
Chairman of De Courcey Classic and Vintage club told how the McCarthy Family, land owners of this years site have a long history associated with Harvesting and Milling.
Members from each group who will benefit from funds raised on the day also said a few words.
Afterwards Corcoran’s Bar in Ballinadee hoisted some refreshments.
Last May the new Kilmacsimon Community centre, Bandon, Co Cork was the venue for a very well attended slideshow and talk about the West Cork and South Coast railway organized by the De Courcey Vintage Club and presented by Mr Chris Larkin. The evening was a huge success being both informative and also a great social occasion with a chance for a cup of tea and a chat during the interval.
Another historic talk is planned for the evening of Monday 4th May next at 8 P.M. in the same venue. This year’s talk will be presented by Mr Tim Crowley of the Michael Collins centre, Timoleague and will cover the history of Henry Ford from his family’s origins in Ballinscarthy to his great industrial success story with the famous Ford model T motor car. It is sure to be a most enjoyable night for anyone interested in either the history of West Cork or the history of the automobile.
De Courcey Classic and vintage Club, building on the success of the Claas Centenary and the New Holland Basildon 50 celebrations are once again planning a major event for the 2015 August Bank Holiday Monday.
The theme for this year’s event will be “A century of Change”. As in previous years it will of course be a working day. Visitors will be able to see teams of horses working with implements and machinery from bygone farming days as well as the giant harvesters of today and everything in between.
Continuing with our commitment to supporting local causes, this year funds raised will once again go to several local groups in De Courcey’s parish but our main beneficiary will be the ‘Friends of Jamie Wall Trust Fund”.
Friends of Jamie Wall
Jamie Wall is a local young teacher who led a very active life and was much involved in the GAA, playing both hurling and football for Cork in Under 21’s and Minors. Unfortunately Jamie suffered a severe illness in 2014 which left him requiring a great deal of care. ‘The friends of Jamie Wall’ fund was set up to raise funds to support Jamie’s rehabilitation and aid in his goal of once again living an independent life.
The team at De Courcey’s look forward to fine weather on the August Bank Holiday Monday and a great day at our new site in Ballinadee to celebrate the ‘Century of Change’.
Bill Chambers PRO.
Contact John 087 2667296 or Martin 087 6060777.
As spring arrives in 2015 the Vintage Club is starting to get ready for the season ahead. First up will be the local St Patricks Day parades.
The club will be attending as many parades as possible to publicise this year’s August Bank Holiday Harvest day.
Kinsale, Bandon and Courtmacsherry parades will be attended as usual and hopefully a few more as well.
The DVD of this years Harvest Working Day is now available to buy. New Holland joined this year, celebrating 50 years of manufacturing in Basildon, UK.
A range of Ford and New Holland tractors from Keith Byran’s 1918 model F, to Jim O’Regan’s 2014 T7.260, gave an unforgettable display of ploughing. Donal McCarthy’s team of Clydesdale horses were joined by Fordson model F’s, N’s, Ford Nans, Majors and Dextas with a mixture of trailer and hydraulic ploughs. The thousand series up to the modern T6’s and T7’s with their huge reversible were all represented. The final sequence in the ploughing area was a spectacular line up of the 24 participants in a single line spanning 96 years of progress.
With the ploughing out of the way, the Claeys, Claysons and New Holland combines took up position for a unique formation harvesting display of 16 combines with Kinsale Harbour and the sea in the distance behind them. The earliest machine on site was a 1963 Claeys M103 owned by Michael Ryan, Ballinscarthy and the most modern was a 2014 New Holland CX6090 owned by Leonard Draper of Dunmanway. New Holland combines from each decade in between were present.
On Saturday the 15th of November De Courcey Classic and Vintage Club held a presentation night to distribute funds raised at the 2014 Harvest Working day on the farm of Jim and Eileen O’Regan at Coolyrahilly, Barrel’s Cross, Kinsale in County Cork. This year the Club had €28,500 to distribute to various groups.
The main beneficiary were The Friends of Marymount Hospice who received €12,000. Ballinadee and Ballinspittle National Schools both received €5,500 and Courcey Rovers underage GAA teams received €5,500. This will bring the total amount donated by the club in the last five years to over €67,000.
The many thousands who attended the Harvest event on the August Bank Holiday were not disappointed as the club committee and sponsors Mc&S Agrisales Ltd and New Holland, had prepared a very special day indeed.
The day started early with ploughs, harrows and tilling at midday followed by the teams of horses mowing, binding and drawing sheaves in the traditional harvest section. The vintage Claas, M.F’s Dronningberg, and Dania harvesters then started their own display.
The official opening was then performed by Mr Andrew Watson C.E.O. of New Holland UK and Ireland, who had travelled to Ireland especially for the event.
A new attraction this year was a huge ploughing area. Donal McCarthy’s team of Clydesdale horses were joined by a range of Ford and New Holland tractors from Keith Byran’s 1918 model F, to Jim O’Regan’s 2014 T7.260, to give an unforgettable display of ploughing. The final sequence in the ploughing area was a spectacular line up of the 24 participants in a single line spanning 96 years of progress.
The Claeys, Claysons and New Holland combines were aligned for a unique formation harvesting display of 16 combines with Kinsale Harbour and the sea in the distance behind them. The earliest machine on site was a 1963 Claeys M103 owned by Michael Ryan, Ballinscarthy and the most modern was a 2014 New Holland CX6090 owned by Leonard Draper of Dunmanway. New Holland combines from each decade in between were present.
As all this activity was taking place visitors were able take a break in the picnic area at the food village which occupied a central location in the 35 Acre field. Delicious food was served all day by local West Cork food outlets and many people returned several times to try out the different wares. The De Courcey tea tent was an especially busy place with many exhibitors and visitors having a cuppa and catching up with acquaintances for a chat.
In tune with the harvest theme, there was an impressive display of various milling machines from horse operated threshing machines to engine and tractor driven mills. Raymond White from Ballinspittle was kept busy all day demonstrating how the hand operated kern stones produced flour from wheat.
A fine display of vintage cars, trucks and tractors was on site. The tractors were of course dominated by the blue of the Fords. Many early Fordsons were also present. New Holland had a full range of modern machines at the event and the merchandise shop did tremendous business out all day.
After the final harvesting displays completed the raffle was held. Prizes included three months use of a New Holland Tractor, a weekend break and a New Holland gift pack. Mr Andrew Watson was then called to cut a specially commissioned cake commemorating 50 years of tractor production at the Basildon UK plant.
De Courcey Classic and Vintage Club would like to thank the members, sponsors, landowner, local groups and individuals and the many people who contributed in all sorts of ways for their support in 2014.
The presentation night also marked the launch of the official Harvest Working Day DVD produced by Kevin O’Neill. The hour long DVD is available from Kevin Tel; 087 7752059 or kevinoneill@gmail.com.
Next year’s event is already being discussed. A new site on the farm of Paddy and Ann McCarthy close to Ballinadee Village has been selected. The club is looking forward to another successful Harvest day in 2015.