Harvest festival harks back to the old farming traditions

Munterconnaught's community harked back to the bygone days of farming as they celebrated their inaugural Harvest Festival recently. Pat Brady's field at the rear of O'Dwyer's pub in Munterconnaught played host to the community fundraising event organised by Munterconnaught Historical Society in aid of the local national school and GAA club. Approximately 300 people enjoyed the spectacle of old style threshers run by Bob and Austin Tighe, Bobby and Alfie Henry, Joe Henry, Jimmy Healy and Tony Smith. "No problems whatsoever," said chairman of the Historical Society, Peter Erickson, when asked if the old threshers, one of which dated from 1918, held up. "We made 600 bales of straw and 100 bags of oats. The people threshing were competitive, trying to produce the best stuff."