Time travel farming experience at Knock Threshing Festival in Laois

This September, take a step back in time to see traditional harvesting in action in Laois, at a festival that is filled with community celebration and music including Timahoe Male Choir fresh from Electric Picnic.

The Knock Threshing Festival takes place over the weekend of September 7 and 8, proudly hosted by Knock Vintage Club and Men’s Shed who also have new facilities they are eager to show off. 

The festivities kick off on Saturday at 4pm with the Ger Bowe Memorial tractor run, where majestic vintage steam engines will be on hand to see off and welcome back the participants. The run stops in Clough, and all vintage cars, tractors and motorbikes are welcome, register from 3pm at Knock Vintage Men's Shed in Spink (R32A3HA).

It finishes at Headens Bar, Spink, where the community will gather for a lively charity Cock and Bull Auction, with proceeds in aid of the men's shed and Knock National School.

On Sunday, September 8, the Threshing and Field Day will take centre stage at Josie's Farm from 12 to 6pm. The day will begin with a parade from Spink village led by the magnificent steam engines, guiding the way to a field brimming with activities that honor Laois farming traditions while providing fun for all ages.

Alongside the exciting threshing demonstration are vintage tractor and machinery displays, craft and food stalls, a Wheel of Fortune, and tea, buns, and burgers all day.

As evening falls, the music and dancing begins, with a dance floor open for anyone eager to show off their fancy footwork. Timahoe Male Choir will give a special performance too. The night will also feature a charity raffle, this year in aid of Knock National School, adding an extra layer of community spirit to the celebration.

Corn has been growing all summer especially for the threshing, with the harvest work shared 'meitheal' style.

Brian Brennan is chair of Knock Vintage Men's Shed, who began the annual festival 12 years ago.

"We grow the corn and we cut it rare (green) in the traditional manner ahead of the festival. Binders are pulled out of sheds for it that are 100 years old at least. Then all are welcome to come and help us stuck it (stand sheaves up in the field).

"Then we load the sheaves onto trailers and bring it to the mill to thresh. The mill is driven by tractors and by a steam engine, the little Mann from Stradbally.

Brian Brennan and fellow Knock men's shedders atop the threshing machine.

"The festival is always very well attended. It makes an awful lot of sense to us to do this. We are continuing a tradition, with a few add ons each year. It is testament to the strength, unity, and pride in our community," he said.

The Men's Shed have almost finished big renovation projects, after securing multiple government grants.

"We got Leader funding to renovate the Chapel House, Town & Village Renewal funding for the shed, Leader funding for tools, Clár funding for landscaping equipment and LOETB funding for computers for the remote working hub and a Geodome.

"We'd like to show off what we've achieved, the new chapel house, the garden which has been done extensively. It was the wettest site in Ireland but we put in new top soil and we're delighted with how it turned out. It's all the beginning of something new in Knock. Next we hope to create a community garden, building on our experience year on year," chair Brian Brennan said.

Follow the festival updates on the Knock Vintage Club and Men's Shed Facebook page.