HOWARD RUTHERFORD, BORN 1933, and MICHAEL McELWEE, BORN 1952, KILMACRENAN

This recording was compiled on location in the yard adjoining Howard Rutherford’s home and tractor museum. Howard discusses his family background and discusses, in a jovial fashion, his passion for collecting vintage tractors. He recalls the threshing, the business of selling tractors in the 1960s, fair days in Kilmacrenan and the people who attended with their wares, the town itself and its businesses and inhabitants. During the 1960s, Howard travelled regularly to Scotland to purchase tractors, arriving home with a full consignment for the farmers in the area. He is proud to be able to say that he sold the very first tractor to a farmer in Aranmore. As a young lad, Hugh worked with his father who owned a corn store that housed a crushing machine for corn used by local farmers. During the course of this recording, Michael McElwee contributes many interesting comments to the general conversation.