Tom Parlon relishes meeting old friends and the social aspect of Ploughing

FORMER IFA President Tom Parlon returned to his former stomping ground on Wednesday when he socialised with IFA members in the organisation's mammoth stand at the National Ploughing Championships.

The Coolderry man – now Chairman of Offaly GAA County Board – said he relishes attending the Ploughing and described it "as one of the best days of the year".

Accompanied by his daughter Niamh, Tom, who emphasised he is still very much a farmer, said he had just spoke to "a guy from Cork" whom he first met at an IFA committee meeting 42 years ago.

He also spoke with young students from the famous Loreto on the Green second level school in Dublin, and their parents, who were astounded at the size of the Ploughing on their first ever visit to the event.

"They were at the Angus stand, none of them are from a farming background and they were amazed," he told the Tribune.

The GAA chairman - who was rushing from the Ploughing to an Offaly GAA meeting when the Tribune bumped into him - said the IFA marquee was a great place for farmers and members of the organisation to socialise and mingle with politicians.

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And Tom also took time to get his heart and cholesterol levels checked by Dr Mohammed at the Croi exhibit, organised in conjunction with the IFA.

At the IFA stand, he was served refreshments by Chloe who turned out to be from his native Coolderry and is a great grand daughter of Ireland's oldest person, Mrs Eileen Hynes (107), from the Heath.

The former Director of the Construction Industry Federation also visited the Banagher Concrete stand whom he represented in a professional capacity recently.

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