The West Cork Vintage Ploughing and Threshing Association’s Ford 100 Fest is set to take place on the ancestral home-farm of Henry Ford at Crohane, Ballinascarthy, Co. Cork, this Sunday, August 27.
Promised as “a great day out for the whole family”, the event will be sponsored by Henry Ford & Son Limited (Ford Ireland) and will be a celebration of 100 years of Ford in Ireland.
The Ford 100 Fest will feature a range of displays of Ford models going back to the iconic Model T, which was the car that helped Henry Ford bring motoring to the masses.
Alongside all of the famous Ford cars from the past century, the event will also see one of the largest displays of Fordson tractors ever assembled in Ireland.
Fordson tractors were the first vehicles to be produced at the Cork Ford plant on the Marina which was established 100 years ago this year in 1917.
In addition, the festival will also feature live demonstrations of ploughing, silage cutting, corn cutting, threshing and exhibits of farming from days gone by.
On the day, food stands will offer a selection of dishes made from the “best of local ingredients”. A helicopter will also be on hand to provide attendees with a bird’s eye view of the event.
All proceeds from the event will be donated to the charities chosen by the vintage association: Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin; Cancer Connect; the Alzheimer’s Unit of Clonakilty Hospital; and West Cork Rapid Response.
Ciaran McMahon, Chairman and Managing Director of Henry Ford and Son Ltd, spoke about the occasion, stating: “Where else could the Ford 100 Fest take place other than at the ancestral homestead from where Henry Ford’s father and his family emigrated to the US in 1847.
“We are delighted to sponsor the West Cork Vintage Ploughing and Threshing Association’s Ford 100 Fest – it is really shaping up to be a great day out and all in aid of some very worthy charities,” McMahon said.
Don Coakley, Chairman of the West Cork Vintage Ploughing and Threshing Association, also commented on the event. He said: “Our Ford 100 Fest will really be the highlight event of the summer in west Cork. We are indebted to Vivian Buttimer and the Ford Buttimer family for hosting the event on the Ford family farm.
“In this the centenary year of Ford in Ireland, we are also hugely grateful to the team at Henry Ford and Son Ltd for their generous support of the event,” Coakley added.
