A BIGHEARTED family will travel 1,000kms to reach Donegal for a first-ever double cycle and vintage tractor run to remember the dying wishes of a brother who died from cancer.
Several iconic tractors will drive nearly 500kms from Tralee in Kerry to Churchill, near Letterkenny, in aid of Donegal Hospice.
At the same time, a group of cyclists will make the 616km from Ireland’s most southerly point Mizen Head in Cork to the country’s most northerly Malin Head in Inishowen, in aid of Kerry Hospice.
The family behind the unique charity drive organised it in loving remembrance of late Donegal man James Russell, who sadly died from pancreatic cancer last May 29 – just two months after he was diagnosed.
Ruth McClintock told the Donegal News that James carried out many fundraisers over the years and said: “He wanted to do one more fundraiser and thought he would have the time to do it, but it was not to be for him.
“This is where the idea of the tractor run came about.”
Vintage tractor story May 2026 – Ruth on her wedding day in 2018 with her late brother James Russell.
She explained that James left Churchill to work on building sites in England as a young man and then resettled in Ballygeigue, near Tralee, in Kerry but “never forgot his Donegal” roots, his sister.
The three-day vintage tractor run leaves Ballygeigue on Thursday, May 21, and is due to arrive in Churchill on Sunday, May 24.
Its completion will be celebrated with music, an auction, a draw and entertainment.
Ruth told the Donegal News: “This has never been done before.
“My brother John Russell, who lives in Crosshaven, Co Cork, is also doing a cycle from Mizen Head to Malin Head to coincide with us.
“They will also be in Ballyheigue on Thursday morning for the take-off.
“James died of cancer last May at only 64. He was an amazing, kind, generous person who helped so many people in his lifetime.
“My husband Terence McClintock and I came up with the tractor run idea. James was born in Donegal March 23, 1961, as the second eldest of seven children.
“His parents were Nora and Jim Russell. His father known as ‘Jim the Mason’ was a builder and a gifted stone mason.
“James’s teenage years were spent tinkering at cars and especially his beloved Mark 2 Escorts, thus his love of mark 2 rally cars.
“School was not really for James, so he trained and worked alongside his father and he quickly learned to build, plaster, roof and work with stone.
“James went to England for 10 years, where he worked in the building trade.
“He returned to Ireland and settled in Ballyheigue, near Tralee, with his daughter Marie.
“James never forgot his roots and returned to Churchill as often as he could. He started out on his own, working and building with natural stone.
“Throughout his life in Donegal, and especially in Kerry, he created many beautiful natural stone buildings.
“He even stoned the bow of a ship on which a 12ft statue of St Brendan the Navigator stands in Fenit near the port of Tralee.
“He often helped people in Kerry and Donegal with building projects, roof leaks, burst pipes and much more. He turned no-one away.
“In 1990, James changed his life and made the decision to stop drinking with the help of AA and the 12 step program.
“In the past 35 years, James helped so many people find recovery and stay sober. In 1999, he was one of the founder members who set up the local AA meeting in Ballyhigue.
“James helped more people than we will ever know. His legacy and his message of recovery and hope will live on through those people for many years to come.
“James had a great love of motorbikes and was a member of the Magpies NCC biker club Tralee, where he was commonly known as Rusty.
“He and his friends took part in numerous bike charity runs, raising funds for a number of good causes, the RNLI lifeboats, the women’s refuge centre, cancer research, Christmas toy appeals, and many more over the years.
“Sadly, in March 2025, James was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was told that it was terminal.
“For the last few weeks of his life, he went almost every day to the hospice in Tralee for pain relief and support.
“The doctors and nurses were so kind and helpful to both James, his daughter Marie, his two grandsons, his brother and three sisters.”
Vintage tractor story May 2026 – some of the tractor drivers doing the run, left to right – William McClintock, George Bustard, William Peoples, Terence McClintock and Paddy McCauley.
Ruth added: “James wanted to do one more fundraiser and thought he’d have the time, but it was not to be for him. This is how the tractor run idea came about.
“Our old family tractor, a Davey Brown 780, lay in a shed for the last 30 years, only being driven when James was home.
“James always talked about getting it restored, but never got around to it. My husband Terence decided to get it restored and do this tractor run in his memory.
“The tractor was being restored when James was sick, but sadly he didn’t live long enough to see the tractor finished.
“We set up a committee with an amazing bunch of volunteers in Donegal.
“As soon as we mentioned the idea to James’s family and friends in Kerry, they immediately got stuck in and organised things in Ballyheigue.
“We aim to raise as much money as possible for the Kerry Hospice and the Donegal Hospice.”
The family’s GoFundMe page called the James Russell Memorial Tractor Run has so far raised €2,854 of a €5,000 target.