Lights, tractor, action and fun

As the Christmas decorations go up in households around the country, tractors are getting washed and ready to take to the streets. Every December, tractor runs are organised around rural Ireland, a tradition that brings communities together.

The impressive convoy of tractors that parade through villages and parishes is brought to life with Christmas decorations and fairy lights dazzling in the distance. With cars beeping and people waving, it also brings people together to raise money for charity.

One of the first tractor runs to take place this festive season was on 23 November in Co Wexford, where Tombrack National School refused to allow a storm to dampen their spirits.

One of the driving forces behind this year’s fundraiser was principal Elaine Gahan who, with the board, decided to try something different and hold their very first tractor run.

“The cost of living is one of the big reasons we needed to raise money. One of the first bills we had on return to school was an electricity bill of over €500 – and we weren’t even in school, it was in the summer. We were worried about where the money would come from to keep going, our school is just so small,” says Elaine.

Having joined the school as principal three years ago, Elaine appreciates the community spirit across, not only the school, but the whole Tombrack area. Last Christmas, they held a fair and various other fundraisers which paid for a new playground.

With only 53 pupils, this rural school is always looking for different ways to raise money to help support the running costs of the building along with providing additional support to students.

Increased costs

“So many students have recommendations in their [diagnostic] report to have assistive technology. You apply to the department and jump through all these hoops, and you give reports, and they’re not meeting the criteria. I understand the criteria has to be there but some kids have actual diagnosed needs and they’re not able to access those supports,” says Elaine.

She would like to be able to offer more children an easier way to access the curriculum, using this assistive technology.

“We have generous parents, that have sponsored computer coding classes and licences. However, we need devices that they can access them on. That was another thing that we have on our wishlist,” she says.

The staff started throwing ideas around and decided as a rural school to reach out to the local farming community.

“We are always doing little things, like non-uniform days, but that means taking from the same pot and the same parents. That is another reason why we try to come up with new, inventive ideas of how to fundraise,” she says.

With 53 students from junior infants to sixth class, the school has three class teachers, one set teacher, an SNA and a secretary.

“When I started, there were two teachers, a part-time SNA and a part-time secretary. After a year and a half of fighting we managed to get a new teacher through a professional review, we also got a new full-time teacher because our numbers went up and our SNA is now full-time.

“We are one big family; everybody mucks in and tries their very best to help out wherever they can, that includes our parent body. On a Friday, we have a parent who runs the community garden adjacent to the school, and takes a class every week to do ‘Pots for Tots’. It’s something we are so lucky to have,” says Elaine.

The students were so excited about the tractor run, that Elaine decided to open it up and allow cars to take part so children and their parents could also get involved. Nearly 40 tractors and vehicles got involved – despite a storm on the way.

The route took them from Tombrack, Clohamon then back on the N80 to the Scarawalsh Intersection before travelling to Ferns and back to Tombrack.

The school held a Christmas fair on the following day and overall made €1,500 which will go towards getting the assistive technologies.