The St Patrick’s Day parade in Stradbally saw the return of one of the most unusual farm vehicles in the country. Local farmer, businessman, undertaker (and objector to Diageo’s plant in Newbridge) John Lynch, once more exhibited the hearse that he has converted into a flatbed truck.

It is a truly astonishing sight when met on the road. Hearse from the front, pickup from the back, it’s the vehicular equivalent of the mullet haircut.

I understand that there’s no truth in the rumour that local malting barley growers planned to borrow the hearse and the Beef Plan’s “death of cattle farming” coffin to protest at Boortmalt’s cutting, then partial restoration, of the local Stradbally Town and Country malting contract.

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