Support pours in for Gerard Greene Memorial Tractor Run in Mayo

THE Dunmore Vintage Club, in association with Michael and Ursula Greene and family, is organising the now annual Gerard Greene Memorial Truck and Tractor Run on Sunday, June 1, starting from Dunmore at 1pm. Registration is from 11.30am and the entry fee is €20 per vehicle.

This event is in memory of Gerard Greene of Gortnagoyne, Garrafrauns, who died in a tragic tree-felling accident in Curry parish, Sligo, in April, 2018. His mother Ursula was formerly McGuinness from Logatemple, Claremorris, and a member of a well known Mayo GAA family.

The run will travel from Dunmore to Cloonfad and on to Brickens, Claremorris, Ballindine and Irishtown before ending up in Garrafrauns around 3.30pm on Sunday where refreshments will be served in the local Community Centre alongside a barbeque.

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Tom Burke, Mike Kelly, and Kevin Kilgarriff, along with Michael and Ethan Greene, are among the main coordinators of the Vintage Run and they have been associated with the Dunmore Vintage Club for many years. The proceeds on this occasion are in support of creating a sensory room and garden and providing essential equipment for Garrafrauns National School.

The venture takes on a new dimension this year with a major night in the Ard Rí House Hotel on Friday, May 30, and gets underway at 7pm with music and song as well as an auction and raffle. The night will culminate with a big country dance with Cliona Hagen from Tyrone and her band.

Ursula Greene says the response has been exceptional this year.

“There is huge goodwill and the amount of prizes donated from Claremorris to Dunmore and Tuam has been outstanding. We are so grateful to so many people for their kindness and generosity. Our local school in Garrafrauns is the beneficiary this year and it is wonderful to see such support from Mayo and Galway once again.”