Man with 45-year-old Easter egg in fridge bans family from touching it

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He has had the egg for 45 years (Image: Irish Daily Mirror)
He has had the egg for 45 years (Image: Irish Daily Mirror)

A man who refuses to eat an Easter Egg given to him 45 years ago still refuses to let his family touch it.

John Gartlan, of Kilcurry, Dundalk in Co Louth originally felt the Easter Egg given to him was "too nice to eat" so he decided to leave it in the fridge all those years ago.

He was just five-years-old at the time when he was presented the egg by a cousin of his mum's.

John says that back in 1978, Easter eggs were a lot plainer in design, so he was elated to recieve the special Kitty's Cottage egg, complete with a toy kitten and colourful box.

The gift was so precious that he's kept it in near-pristine condition ever since - four fridges later.

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Man with 45-year-old Easter egg in fridge bans family from touching itThe egg has been sat at the back of every fridge he has owned

He wouldn't dare open the special egg, despite it being Kitty's Cottage 20th anniversary this week.

"A first cousin of my mum's, Gertie Carragher from Tullydonnell, County Armagh gave it to me when I was five. At that time, Easter eggs were much plainer than they are now and not much to look at," he told the Irish Mirror.

"But this was different. It came in a greenish yellow box with a little toy kitten beside it. I remember that it looked so nice that I didn't want to eat it and it was put in the fridge.

"The next year, we didn't think it would be safe to eat, so it stayed in the fridge."

Sadly, John's parents have both passed away but the egg is still standing in the fridge over four decades since it was given to him. Importantly, his family have all agreed they won't touch it.

Man with 45-year-old Easter egg in fridge bans family from touching itThe egg was accompanied by a toy kitten as well (Irish Daily Mirror)

He said: "We've probably gone through about four different fridges but the egg is still there - in the corner of the top shelf. It's just like part of the fridge now. I don't even think of it really anymore.

"The egg is still wrapped in foil but there is a little bit exposed and it doesn't look mouldy - but I still wouldn't chance tasting it.

"I once had in the back of my head that it could be the oldest on record but there are reports of much older Easter eggs out there on the internet."

So, even though he has an egg already, John will be forking out for a new one for this Easter.

Freddie Bennett

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