First ever Dyno Day is set to put Offaly village back on the map

BALLYBOY is set to reclaim its place at the heart of Offaly with a Tractor Dyno Day this Saturday, October 1.

People will be familiar with tractor run fundraisers but the Ballyboy event is different.

At the Ballyboy Dyno Day, tractor owners will pay €75 and get the horsepower of their engines professionally checked.

“It's big in the North,” explained Thomas Fox, chair of Ballyboy Community Development and Tidy Towns. “This is the first of its kind south of the border.”

The local community group are breaking new ground with their innovative venture but there will be much more to the day than checking the horsepower of tractors.

A host of fun activities have been lined up, with everything from a tractor driving skills competition to live music, food, face painting and much, much more.

One of the many interesting ideas is a remote controlled tractor driving skills test for children, where the youngsters will guide the machines around a specially made mock-up model of Ballyboy village.

Of course, the horsepower testing will be the centrepiece of the day-long event (9am to 5pm) at Billy Fryday's farmyard, Ballyloonan, Ballyboy and seven main tractor dealers have committed to bringing along the dynamometers.

“They're from all the main dealers and to have the backing of all of them is huge,” said Thomas.

As many as 150 tractors could be tested on Saturday and anyone wishing to enter can do so through the Ballyboy Community Development/Tidy Towns Facebook page or by logging onto the web event link https://eventlist.store/ballyboydynoday/ballyboydynoday

Tractor dealers are also providing tractors for display and for the skills competitions in what promises to be a stand-out event this year on the local agricultural calendar.

There will be trade exhibits and stands for small businesses to showcase their wares and there are still spaces available for booking.

With adequate covered sheds for the indoor entertainment and yards for the outdoor activities, the venue is ideally suited for all those attending and taking part.

WATCH: Dyno Day panic in Ballyboy! https://www.facebook.com/ballyboytidytowns/videos/419430253630413

The event is expected to result in substantial funds being pumped into community causes.

“We're raising money for Ballyboy hall which was burned down in 1967, the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund and Offaly Down Syndrome,” Thomas outlined.

Ashling Murphy, the young Blueball teacher killed near Tullamore earlier this year, was a talented musician and member of the acclaimed Ballyboy Comhaltas group.

Musical entertainment will be central to the day's activities and the Rock On Paddy gig rig has been lined up by the local organisers.

The extensive programme also features the Grassmen, an online phenomenon with agri-based videos and social media content.

The first ever Tractor Dyno Day is very timely because substantial State funding - up to €170,000 - is currently being ploughed into Ballyboy through the Town and Village Renewable scheme and other grants.

Any further enquiries can be made by contacting Thomas Fox on 087 9911660.