jf 850
Well-Known Member
James Leahy and Mick O Mahoney started in a small building in Cloyne village doing up Dextas and Majors imported from England. They would give them a test run up the Kilva hill road which runs past the home farm. As a boy l'd see them most days at full pelt, the wind blowing in their hair giving them a wild look (no cabs then)
and l recall my father and grandfather giving out about them going too fast.
They became successful and in the mid 70's moved to a new bigger premises at Churchtown North near Midleton.
Whenever my father had to go there for parts etc l would always go so l could check out the long lines of 4,5 & 7000's and later 66's & 76's. They must have brought in hundreds of them over the years.
They were 99% Ford but you'd see the occasional MF there and in the 90's started on the JCB stuff right in time for the start of the building boom later in that decade.
At their peak l'd say there must have been a dozen or more working there.
They probably did export some of their trade ins to Africa etc but l am not sure on that. They were really importers of tractors l would have said.
My father would hire a tractor from them in the busy springtime period and over the years bought 3 tractors from them, a MF 178, a Ford 5000 and loader, and a MF 575. Here they are.
(@Soissons a blast from the past)
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The 575 was a beauty.
That's lovely soil . Nearly tilled when ploughed.