Abbeyshrule vintage show aims to return to its roots

This year’s Lakeland Vintage Show this year, adjacent to the airfield at Abbeyshrule (N39 VK80) is on Sunday September 11 (from noon) and the many attractions will include the tractor and car display, a threshing display, tractor balancing, entertainment for children, ice-cream van, food and auto jumble stalls.

Mary Mulvaney, secretary, Lakeland Vintage Club, Abbeyshrule, said: “We hope to see a lot of people who are interested in the old-type shows of yesteryear and we look forward to meeting other collector enthusiasts there.”

Lakeland Vintage Club has more than 100 members, who are mourning the loss of two of their number, Bertie Mills, treasurer, and John Harte, chairperson. Ms Mulvaney wrote, in a letter to the Westmeath Examiner: “No words I write could every say how sad and empty Lakeland Vintage Club members feel without Bertie and John.

“Bertie was a founder member of our club, and both made a wonderful contribution to it. They both were gifted, with thoughts and ways of seeing things that only they could see. We are privileged, however, to have Edre (Bertie’s wife) as our treasurer. The club are grateful for Edre’s expertise, qualities and advice she brings.”

Ms Mulvaney continued: “In our club we have great vintage tractor and car collector enthusiasts. Our members love to take their tractors and cars to the annual vintage shows around the country, usually wonderful days out for everyone – however, it is my opinion that a lot of these shows are moving away from what the shows started out to do.

"The shows initially displayed attractions of yesteryear, tractors and cars and threshing, and provided entertainment to make great family days out. I feel sad that today many shows gear towards music festivals and it is the collector enthusiasts that the costs fall to.

"Some shows now charge enthusiasts to display their tractors and cars, and it is a shame, when fuel prices are so high, to be asked to pay after hours of challenging work and spending a lot of money doing up vintage vehicles.

“The displays attract the people to the shows – yes, the big bands will certainly bring a different crowd – but let us get back to our vintage shows of old. If such displays disappear from the shows, we will have no shows.

“The policy of charging to display tractors and cars is wrong and should be reviewed.”