The team at the De Courcey Vintage Club harvest working day grabbed hold of a brief window of good weather over the weekend, to stage their harvesting event with the theme of “A Century of Change”. Heavy showers of rain on Sunday night would have put the event in doubt, but as rain abated on Bank Holiday Monday morning, the team luckily forged ahead and carried off a most impressive working event.

Just as the last combines moved through their final runs on Monday afternoon, the first hint of the evening showers drifted in. As if by divine intercession, the work was acknowledged to be completed. And the crowd went away satisfied, having seen more than 20 combine harvesters in action, including trailed, wrap-around and self-propelled machines.

Combines from many eras were in action on the day, with early 1950s small Massey Ferguson and Claas machines working side-by-side with the newest machine in the field, Bandon man Tomas Deane’s 2001 New Holland TX65 Plus.

While the emphasis was on combine harvesting, there was an abundance of vintage tractors on display. This was supported by both tractor and horse-drawn reaper and binder displays and steam powered threshing in action. The event included horse ploughing as well as trailer and mounted ploughs, to complete picture of how tillage farming has evolved over 100 years.

Moynalty celebrates 40 years of steam threshing

Moynalty Steam Threshing celebrates 40 years this weekend on Sunday next, August 9, making it one of the longest-running vintage events in the country.

The annual event in Moynalty, Co Meath, will open with a parade from the village starting at midday. A convoy of steam engines, vintage displays and threshing mills led by The Corduff Pipe Band will wind its way through the picturesque village, which was a Tidy Towns Winner in 2013.

This year’s event will host the official launch of a new book, celebrating the 40 years of how the Moynalty Steam Threshing Festival has evolved. This is the story of a community of volunteers who through their hard work, commitment and dedication have made this festival such a huge success.

Field of oats

The event will be open from 10am and during the day visitors will get to see a six-acre field of oats being harvested by a horse-drawn reaper and binder. The sheaves will be placed in stooks and brought to the threshing arena where the mills and steam engines will demonstrate the threshing of the grain.

Other farming skills on show in the corn field will include ploughing, tilling, binding, and scythe and sickle reaping. Traditional skills such as churning, spinning, weaving, basket making and woodturning will also be on display.

To celebrate 40 years of the event, there are expected to be huge displays of cars, bikes, tractors, lorries and other vintage items.

The festival will finish with a concert from Nathan Carter, supported by Paul Leavy. This full show is included in the admission fee of €10. Children under twelve are admitted free of charge. Free parking is provided with acres allotted, so that there is ease of access to the site for all visitors.

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