Castledermot Vintage Club

A history of Castledermot Vintage Club

Castledermot Vintage Club is a club of eighty-plus members,  formed in July 2007 to rekindle the threshing tradition of bygone days by having a threshing day in Castledermot, Co. Kildare.  The club is a gathering of people interested in all things vintage, and hosts regular vintage road runs, social nights, as well as Castledermot's Annual Threshing & Vintage Working Day.

The Club held Castledermot’s 1^st Threshing & Vintage Working Day on the 23rd September 2007, in aid of cancer care.  The day was a huge success and €22,000 was raised for Cancer Care services in County Kildare, with €16,000 donated to the Oncology Unit in Naas General Hospital and €6,000 to Drogheda Memorial Hospital at the Curragh, Co Kildare.  These funds helped secure additional palliative care beds and chairs for cancer patients and the terminally ill.    

The success was repeated again on Sunday 7th September 2008 with Castledermot's 2nd Annual Threshing and Vintage Working Day.  An overwhelming €25,000 was raised for charity.  The focus of the event was Suicide Prevention, and the club’s main beneficiary was AWARE, who provide counselling and support services for those suffering from depression and mental health problems.  AWARE were presented with a cheque for €17,000.  A donation of €5,000 was also given to Carlow-based group, Talk-It-Over, who provide suicide bereavement counselling services for the people of Carlow and South Kildare.  Finally, to give something back to the people of Castledermot who so willingly support the event, €3,000 was presented to Castledermot Community Services.

In 2009, our 3rd Threshing was our biggest day yet, with record crowds and a wide variety of machines, including 24 steam engines!  €24,000 was raised for the Irish Haemophila Society in memory of David Sixsmith.

Castledermot Vintage Club has grown from strength to strength since its formation and welcome new members. 

You don't have to own a vintage machine to join, all you need is an appreciation of All Things Vintage!. 

The club’s existence is a great example of community involvement, and the club hope that it will continue for many years to come.