Vintage combine harvester's maiden run on Cork peninsula helps raise €14k for Feile O'Sullivan

A vintage tractor run, helicopter rides, Alpaca visits and an auction of the oats were some of the other events to raise funds for the young girl who lost her legs in a farming accident

Tue, 26 Aug, 2025 - 17:09

Niamh Griffin

A vintage combine harvester used for the first time in Allihies raised almost €14,000 for a young girl who lost her legs in a farming accident.

Over €572,000 has now been raised to help support Féile O'Sullivan and her mother Maureen in the years to come. She continues her treatment in CHI at Crumlin Hospital in Dublin, having received emergency care at Cork University Hospital last month.

The 1972 combine harvester worked a field of oats in front of an appreciative crowd at the weekend.

Co-organiser of the event Helen O’Sullivan, said: “It was so heartwarming to see everyone helping.” She described the teenager as “a very strong, brave, determined girl”.

She met farmers who came from as far as Waterford and said a round of applause went up as the machine began working.

“We were praying for a crowd and they came out in big numbers,” she said.

There were so many people there never saw the likes of this in their lives, and then for the older generation I’d say the vintage harvester brought back memories for them as well.

A vintage tractor run attracted entries from as far as Kilkenny and across Cork including Bandon. Other events included helicopter rides and Alpaca visits.

Kenmare Mart hosted an auction of the oats – donated by the farmer - on Monday with “all proceeds going towards 'Stand 4 Feile'". Other items auctioned included fencing stakes and three rams.

The sports mad teenager's plight has tugged at heartstrings in a similar way to fundraising last year for Clare underage GAA player Joe Slattery.

The campaign is led by a committee of Cllr Finbarr Harrington, Cormac McMahon and Ollie Rue O’ Sullivan from Garnish GAA as well as Liz O’Leary.

Mr Harrington said of the harvesting: “The total raised on the day was a massive €13,600 which is phenomenal for an event in a small parish.

Feile O'Sullivan continues her treatment in CHI at Crumlin Hospital in Dublin, having received emergency care at Cork University Hospital last month.

“It was a fantastic day out and the first of its kind in the Beara Peninsula.”

He praised how a flood of videos from local and national athletes or clubs in GAA and other sports has helped to keep the campaign going.

“Very often we would hear about the dark side of social media, the online trolling and all of that but this is a great example of how powerful and how good social media is when it’s used properly,” he said.