Tom’s tomatoes still ripe in his old age!

Four generations of the Quinn family from Ballinasloe turned out to see 100-year-old Tom Quinn take judges by storm for his prize tomatoes at the Tullamore Show.

Tom, who regular readers of the Tribune will remember from February, when he celebrated his 100th birthday with a shindig in Gullane’s in Ballinasloe, took 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize for his tomatoes at what is one of the biggest shows in the Irish agricultural calendar.

Tom is no stranger to horticultural shows, having been showing off his considerable green-finger credentials since 1960 – exhibiting many varieties of flowers, vegetables and fruit over the years.

In the 1970s, Tom took a break from exhibiting, before returning to the Tullamore Show in 1993 as a judge.

In 2009, the game keeper became the hunter once again when Tom entered his tomatoes in the show – this time at 90 years of age.

He’s been participating ever since, with gardening still a big passion for the sprightly centenarian.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.