Combined efforts in Ballymore at Drive for Life
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Tom Ennis and Jody Moran parked up their combine harvesters to form an arch which the Drive for Life convoy passed under.Image 2 of 15
The Ballymore Drive for Life fundraiser for Pieta took place on the Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend.Image 3 of 15
Ciarán Coffey, Daniel Wilson, Jack Byrne and Michael Horan prepare to take part in Ballymore Drive for Life.Image 4 of 15
Adam Martin, Odhrán Finnegan, Oisín Burke, Oisín Collins, Joseph McLoughlin and Tommy Nally supporting the Pieta House fundraiser in Ballymore on the Sunday of the bank holiday weekend.Image 5 of 15
Jillian Brunt and her daughter Caríosa take time out for ice cream as they await the arrival of the tractors, bikes, cars and trucks.Image 6 of 15
Visitors from Scotland, (back) Bernadette Fryars and Jackie Leonard; and (front) Andy Leonard and Katie Fryars supporting Pieta at the Ballymore Drive for Life fundraiser.Image 7 of 15
Organisers and volunteers Jen Dooner, Michelle Clavin, Kelsey O’Meara, Marcella Foley, Adah Cuffe and Ann Foley taking registrations. Photos: Terry O’NeillImage 8 of 15
Darragh O’Shea and Caoimhe Gannon prepare to hit the road.Image 9 of 15
Supporting Pieta in Ballymore were Chris and Zdenko Horvath and Jana Makaturova.Image 10 of 15
Marshals on duty for the run, Eugene Molloy, Jamie Kilmurray, Denis Brunt, Wayne Hamill, Chris Horvath and Zdenko Horvath.Image 11 of 15
Tom and Nancy Cuffe relax prior to the start of the Ballymore Drive for Life in Ballymore.Image 12 of 15
Volunteers Rachel Haugh, Emily Ennis Lennon and Emma Maguire.Image 13 of 15
Organisers Adah Cuffe, Stephen Meares and Tom Ennis.Image 14 of 15
Vintage cars were part of this year’s Drive for Life in Ballymore.Image 15 of 15
Last year’s event raised some €12,000, and this year the organisers are hoping for at least the same.A community that has witnessed a number of tragic deaths in recent years turned out in great numbers last weekend to support a fundraiser organised to help Pieta House.
“We had a total of about 170 taking part, between tractors, lorries, bikes and vintage cars,” says Adah Cuffe, who, with friends Stephen Meares and Eddie Convey, organised the ‘Drive for Life’ from Ballymore on the August bank holiday Sunday.
“We wanted to do something as a community for Pieta because there had been a lot of tragedy locally and it was just a charity we wanted to support,” she explains.
It is the second year in a row in which the trio organised the event, and such was the level of support and the atmosphere that they are talking about making the Drive for Life an annual event, Adah says.
The tractors spanned everything from the vintage to newer models, but a significant change from last year was the number of lorries that participated: “We had about 22 lorries, whereas last year we were only at six or seven,” says Adah, remarking that an eye-catching feature at the start was the fact that there were two combine harvesters – and they “combined” forces to form a sort of archway across the road.
“That drew a lot of people’s attention,” says Adah, adding that it proved popular with those looking for unusual photographs.
The vehicles started at High Street, and, as last year, they proceeded down the village before heading to Streamstown, then back towards Rosemount before returning to Ballymore, a journey that took about an hour and a half. On their return, the participants enjoyed refreshments in Cunningham’s pub.
“There were huge crowds out to cheer them on,” says Adah.
The organisers were delighted to receive support from areas beyond Ballymore: “We had participants from Drumraney, Moate, Rosemount, Castledaly – we even had people come from Longford,” says Adah.
The sponsorship money is still coming in, so it will take probably a week or so until they know how much the drive raised.
“Last year, we raised around €12,000, so we’re hoping for around the same,” Adah concluded.