Anyone farming in west Cavan and south Leitrim will have known agricultural contractor Tom Johnston who passed away last week. Tom started out cutting silage on a 45 horsepower Ford Dexta 62 years ago in 1961. As the years went on, he moved through the single chop, the double chop, the precision chop and ended up mastering a 400 horsepower Claas 850 self-propelled harvester in his 70s.

He often said when the Dexta was in action, six acres were a good day’s lifting with one tractor, one trailer, a harvester and an army of men on a pit.

Now, 100 acres can be picked up before teatime with no one on the pit. On his final journey last Thursday, Tom was escorted by the same Ford Dexta he started contracting on in 1961 with a more modern MF8250 and JF1060 following behind, firm favourites of Tom’s.