Group ploughs through the dark

Shop assistant Susan Cahalane has never driven a tractor in her life.

But she’s happy to get up in the early hours of the morning to plough a field for the first time — in the dark.

The 23-year-old, a co-founder of a new branch of Macra na Feirme, is helping to organise a round-the-clock ploughing marathon for charity in West Cork later this month.

Set up last August, the Crossmahon-Bandon Macra wants to raise funds for Marymount Hospice and the West Cork Rapid Response group with a 24-hour ploughing challenge, beginning at 7pm in the Crossmahon area this Friday, Feb 15.

Organisers need 96 people to fill the 24 hours, one plough person for every 15 minutes.

So far about 40 volunteers have signed up but, says Susan, the prospect of getting up between 1am and 7am to spend 15 minutes ploughing may not be hugely attractive to prospective participants.

“If we’re short of people for this particular period, the members of Macra will do it — I’ll get up on the tractor myself and plough at 4am if needs be,!” she says.

Fifteen-minute plough-ing slots are available for €15 to anyone over the age of 16, and the event will be followed by a fundraising draw in Crossmahon Bar in Bandon.

For further information, email [e-mail] or find them on Facebook.

This article was edited on June 30, 2025 in response to a request.