Tributes have poured in this week after the passing of former IFA stalwart and Dairy Board chair Tom Cleary from near Cloughjordan in north Co Tipperary.

Tom had a long history of involvement at national level in young farmer clubs such as Macra, the National Farmers Association, the Irish Farmers Association, Arrabawn, Bord Bainne (formerly Irish Dairy Board and now Ornua) and ICOS.

Leader

Tom was chair of Bord Bainne for 20 years.

The most common words used to describe Tom this week have been – “a local and national leader”, “a man of strong integrity”, “ahead of his time” and a man who helped develop a lifetime legacy for dairy farmers.

Tom was predeceased by his late wife Beatrice, and is survived by daughter Deirdre and son Dermot, who continues to farm near Cloughjordan in Tipperary.

– Jack Kennedy