By agreeing to put their honeymoon on hold so that her husband of less than a day, Patrick McHugh, could compete in the All-Ireland Tractor-Pulling Championships yesterday evening, young Galway bride Martina Fleming gained €2,000 for the Galway Hospice.
Only hours after their wedding reception ended yesterday morning, Martina and Patrick, both from Dunmore, Co Galway, were back in the limelight as he mounted his Case Mx 170 tractor before an estimated 5,000 people at the All-Ireland Tractor-Pulling Championships in the Galway village of Kilconly.
"It is all just in a day's work and, irrespective of how I do at the tractor-pulling, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it," said Patrick as he prepared to compete in the qualifying heats.
On their arrival at the event, the newlyweds, both of whom are in their twenties, were surprised when the organisers presented them with a €2,000 cheque for a charity of their choice.
The groom wore a suit as he competed in the tractor-pulling and his bride wore slacks and a jumper as she watched him. Their four-year-old daughter, Lorna, was also present.
More than 50 tractor-pulling enthusiasts from all parts of the Republic were competing in the championships. A group of observers from Northern Ireland was there to assess the possibility of making it an all-island event next year.
Tractor-pulling is popular in the USA and in parts of Europe, especially Holland and Germany. To compete, the tractor driver must pull a weighted sled along a specially-constructed track; the sled is designed so that the further it is pulled the greater is the weight pulling against the tractor. The person who can pull the weighted sled the furthest and in the fastest time wins the contest.