Hale and hearty at 100....Noel Meade enjoyed his birthday celebrations with all his family

One of the founders of the Irish Farmers Association Noel Meade, celebrated his 100th birthday with his family over Christmas.

Noel, who was originally from Stackallen, but now lives in Coole, Wilkinstown, was a stalwart of Macra na Feirme and an innovative dairy farmer.

He is still fit and healthy and enjoyed his birthday celebrations in The Kilberry with all his family.

Noel never smoke or drank over his long life and took plenty of exercise.

"He took up golf in his later years, when he retired," said his son, Kevin. "He only gave it up when he was 94. He also enjoyed fishing."

Noel was born in Stackallen in 1924 and went to the local school, where his mother was principal of the girls school.

His father, Thomas, had bought the farm in 1921, having been a butcher in Slane before that.

Noel attended St Patrick's Classical School in Navan and then during the war years, attended Warrenstown College at a time when very few young farmers had any training at all.

Thomas had ran a dry stock and tillage farm, but when Noel took over in the mid 1950s, he decided to go into dairying, which was a more profitable business.

He brought revolutionary ideas to local farming, introducing an abreast milking parlour, when most farmers were still stooping down to attach clusters and many were even still milking by hand.

He built a hayshed and lean-to where his cows could be loose, rather than tied in stall which was the norm at the time.

He also bought Friesian cows, which were an unusual sight on farms in Meath at the time, where most dairy cattle were shorthorns.

"He was always interested in new methods of farming and had introduced paddocks for the cows in the 1950s," says Kevin.

Noel was also very prominent in the Leinster Milk Producers organisation and the Irish Grassland Association. He was a founder member of the National Farmers Association and was at the first meeting of the NFA in the Four Provinces Ballroom in Dublin in 1965.

He took part in the protests of 1966 when farmers across the country blocked bridges around the country in a campaign that was to establish them as a powerful lobby group in Irish life. His exploits during the protests landed him in court where he was fined £1.

Kevin and his son, Alan have also been prominent members of the IFA. Noel was honoured by the IFA for his involvement in the organisation in recent years.

Noel married Sheila O'Brien in 1953, but she sadly passed away in 1979.

They had two children, Brendan and Kevin, both of whom are involved in farming.

Noel later married Ann McHugh with whom he had another son, Vincent. Noel and Ann now live in Wilkinstown.

Noel has six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. One of his granddaughters, Grainne studied agriculture to doctorate level.

The family all got together for his 100th birthday celebration.

Noel was delighted to see them all and they are all hoping to see him for many more birthdays to come.