25 signed, numbered and boxed fired porcelaine plates imitating the original paper plate. 210mm diameter... It began with a lot of old tractors being pulled out of barns and cleaned up for the day. A few of these machines get daily use as they are driven to and from the village for messages or Mass. Now there is a lot of excitement about seeing old tractors. Now they are called Vintage. Weeks are spent preparing and cleaning the tractors for The Tractor Run. I was trapped in the village this morning when the tractors set off, so I watched the entire procession as it lumbered away. I had no choice. The road was blocked. The Tractor Run headed to Ardfinnan. Its itinerary included a winding route back by way of other roads. The Run was long and it was slow. There was no music. It was simply a ponderous, ungainly procession through country lanes. People at the few houses came out to wave. It was all being done for charity. It was for a good cause. Each year the Tractor Run has grown. Everyone wants to be involved. Shiny new tractors have joined in. Later, I found a paper plate with the number 27 written in black marker. There were two little holes in the center. Numbered paper plates had been tied with string into the radiator grill of each tractor.