RARE: Brendan Griffin pictured with his rare 1955 Hanomag tractor which will go on display at the Killarney Valley Vintage and Classic Club's annual show at Killarney Racecourse next month. Photo: Sean Moriarty

By Sean Moriarty

A rare 1955 Hanomag tractor will go on display at the Killarney Valley Vintage and Classic Club’s annual show at Killarney Racecourse next month.

The German manufactured tractor is powered by an unusual two-stroke diesel engine, fitted with off-set steering to allow driver view ploughed furrows from overhead, and an internal mid-mounted mowing bar for cutting hay and grass – all features that put the tractor well ahead of its time 65 years ago.

Owned by local man Brendan Griffin, the tractor has never before been seen on public display in Ireland.

Mr Griffin, a life-long fan of farm machinery and implements enthusiast, bought the tractor in Germany around 11 years ago.

“I was at a rally in Germany a few years ago, I saw the tractor for sale, I liked it so much I just bought it,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “Germany is a collector’s dream. Between 1945 and 1970 there were 94 different manufacturers. In recent years the German Government has stopped the export of vintage tractors as they say it is part of their heritage, so I am very lucky to own such a machine.”

The Hanomag manufacturing firm first came to prominence before World War One when it  started manufacturing steam engines.

In 1912, Hanomag started producing ploughs before adding passenger cars, tractors, crawler tractors and trucks to its series in 1924.

In 1971, the firm concentrated on construction equipment. But before that more than 250,000 machines left the factory halls in Hanover.

The brand is owned by Komatsu since 1989, Massey Ferguson owned it for a spell in the 1970s and Daimler-Benz bought out its truck division around the same time.

Local fans will get the chance to see the rare 1955 Hanomag at the annual vintage show on July 22. Brendan will offer visiting fans a chance to learn about the tractor as he will give an in-depth talk on the machine at the show at 3pm.