Category Archives: News

Update on Fr Kingston’s mission in Mozambique.

Last year the club was delighted to be able to give funds from our Harvest Day to The West Cork Fundraising Community whom since 2018 have been working towards raising enough funds to buy a tractor and other farm machinery for Fr. John Kingston’s mission in Mozambique. Clonakilty native Fr. John Kingston has been working in Mozambique since 1990, focusing primarily on helping the local community to farm.

The mission has been granted a significant plot of land (approximately 100 hectares) in Chimolo, which, if it goes unused will be taken back by the state, this would result in the eviction and loss of livelihood of a number of locals. We were delighted to hear back in May that the mission has now taken possession of a new tractor and implements to enable them to properly farm the land. See pictures of tractor arriving.

Earlier in June, we received some more pictures of the tractor, this time actually at work on the mission farm. We wish Fr Kingston the very best in the work he is doing helping the farming community in Mozambique.

RIP Paddy McCarthy

The De Courcey club was very saddened to hear of the unexpected death of Paddy McCarthy on the 1st of May. Paddy and family generously hosted the 2015 and 2016 Harvest working days on their land in Ballinadee.

Both days were a huge success owing in no small part to the enthusiasm which the McCarthy’s took on the event. A great supporter of the Club Paddy will be sorely missed! We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, family, friends and neighbours.

May he Rest In Peace. 

Paddy’s family have set up a Go Fund Me account to raise money for Pieta House in his memory.

Follow this link if you wish to donate. https://www.gofundme.com/f/2dkjma-darkness-into-light-sunrise-appeal

Landrovers at Harvest Day ’18

This year the De Courcey Classic and Vintage Club will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the launch of the Landrover in 1948. We will be organising a gathering of all types of Landrovers at our Harvest day in Harbour view, Kilbrittain on Monday 6th of Aug.

The Club recently took time out at the Innishannon Steam Rally to promote the event with some members and friends getting their Landrovers together for a photo opportunity. Camping will be available as we already have several landrover owners committed to travel some distance to the event. Keep an eye on our facebook page and website for further details.

May Bank Holiday Tractor & Car Run

All pictures by Aisling Minihane.

Harvest Day 2017

John O’Neill, Derry Desmond and Simon Draper from DeCourcey Vintage Club inspect the crop at Harbour view, Kilbrittain, site of this year’s harvest day on the August Bank Holiday.

The De Courcey Harvest working day will take place on the August bank holiday Monday. This year the event will be held at a new site in Harbour View, Kilbrittain, Co Cork. It will take place on the farm of De Courcey Club member Derry Desmond. The club is most grateful to Derry for making the site available to us.

Ever since the hugely successful 2013 Harvest day celebrating the 100th anniversary of Claas farm machinery, the De Courcey Classic and Vintage Club has had close contact with the Claas company. We are delighted to announce that in 2017 we will once again be running the event in partnership with Claas. This year will feature many new additions to the range of exhibits and as always the focus will be on activity, with a huge array of vintage machines working at the event.

Claas are launching their latest silage harvester in the jaguar range the 970 in November 2017. Two of these machines have already been sold pre- launch in the West Cork region. It will be possible to see one these machines working at the De Courcey event. The 970 will be working alongside older harvesters to emphasise the vastly increased capacity of the new machine.

Some of the new activities at this year’s Harvest Day will include silage cutting with a selection of machines including single chop, double chop, precession cut up to self-propelled. Rare machines will be seen working, types like the Dania D5000 self- propelled and Hesston Field Queen self- propelled and star of the show will of course be the latest jaguar 970 .

Claas will have a significant presence at this event with sales stand, machinery displays, merchandising etc. Tim McCarthy from McCarthy plant and agri sales, Carrigtwohill will be on hand to answer any questions people may have about the Claas range of machines.

We look forward to fine weather and a great day out on Monday 7th August in Kilbrittain.

www.decourceyvintage.com and FB.com/decourceyvintageclub.

Historical Talk & Film show

De Courcey Vintage Club present a Historical talk & film show about the 1954 World Ploughing in Killarney & other events by Mr Robert Kidd, with special guest newly elected chairman of the National Ploughing Association, Mr Denis Keohane,  at Kilmacsimon Community Centre on Monday 1st May at 8pm

Corcoran’s Threshing Ballinadee

The Ransome’s thresher belonging to John O’Neill was once again star attraction at the old time threshing in aid of ARC House Cancer Support Centre at Corcoran’s Bar Ballinadee on Sunday 6th November. As always Chris, Joanie and family put on a great show and the weather could not have been kinder.

This year there was a change to the vintage run with the day’s events started in Ballinspittle instead of Garrettstown. Organised by the De Courcey vintage Club the tractors began forming up at midday outside the CO-OP before departing at 1 PM and travelled in convoy to Ballinadee village, where they lined up outside of Corcoran’s on display for the afternoon. Michael O Sullivan’s David Brown 1410 and Rory Crowley’s Fiat 1000 together made a nice pair with the Corcoran’s sign behind them. Jim Connolly’s amazing triple Doe Major set-up was the talk of the day and Denis O Reilly’s Roadless Ploughmaster 75 was also a very interesting addition to the tractors on show.

In the yard beside the pub, John O’Neill had his B-450 International lined up to the Ransome’s thresher and rare Claas trusser. Jim Footman soon had the sheaves flying and Richie Sweetnam was feeding the thresher for the evening. All around the machine there was activity as the sheaves went through on top, grain poured into sacks and chaff flew around the threshing crew.

There were several vintage cars on display. Special mention must go to Gus Murphy and his beautiful DKW.  Raymond White from Ballinspittle had a display of historic artefacts on show. Con Ahern and Pat O Neill had a horse drawn scuffler in action down in the haggard and drew a fascinated crowd when the threshing men took a break midway through the afternoon.

Break over! it was back to work in the November sunshine until the stack of sheaves was gone and the grain sacks were filled. The event was very well attended with a nice crowd in Corcoran’s yard for the evening watching the threshing and enjoying the chat with friends and neighbours.

When the work was done the threshing team were called to the parlour for supper. There were some fascinating stories told of bygone days, accidents and blackguarding at threshing’s long ago. After the meal true to the threshing tradition of old, it was out with the musical instruments with another great night of music and song.

On the day there was €2,396 raised for ARC House and the Corcoran family would like to express sincere thanks to all who helped especially the local musicians who without fail provide wonderful entertainment at events throughout year.

Bill Chambers P.R.O. DeCourcey Classic and Vintage Club.

Presentation Night ’15 Photo Gallery