As
nominations closed in the race for the IFA presidency on Wednesday, much of the attention focused on
Co Longford.A county with just 2,600 farms and an average holding of less than 30ha, Longford held the final vote as Derek Deane and Tim O’Leary scrambled for the nomination. As the 5.30pm deadline approached, both men, the two highest-profile candidates from the start of the race, tried to convince Longford chair Sean Conefrey to give them the nomination to ensure a fourth candidate in the race. In fact, O’Leary landed in Conefrey’s yard on Wednesday morning in an attempt to secure his support.
As nominations closed in the race for the IFA presidency on Wednesday, much of the attention focused on Co Longford.
A county with just 2,600 farms and an average holding of less than 30ha, Longford held the final vote as Derek Deane and Tim O’Leary scrambled for the nomination. As the 5.30pm deadline approached, both men, the two highest-profile candidates from the start of the race, tried to convince Longford chair Sean Conefrey to give them the nomination to ensure a fourth candidate in the race. In fact, O’Leary landed in Conefrey’s yard on Wednesday morning in an attempt to secure his support.
Pressure on Conefrey
By Wednesday, Flor McCarthy, Joe Healy and Henry Burns all had their six nominations. Deane and O’Leary had five counties each, with Longford the very last county to decide. Conefrey had already indicated that he was willing to support Healy and Burns but both had filled their quota.
With little or no support in the county for Deane or O’Leary, Conefrey abstained.
Pressure was applied on Deane and O’Leary for one of them to drop out in order for the other man to get the sixth nomination. Neither buckled by 5.30pm, so it ended with three men on the nomination paper.
Louth, Meath and Waterford nominate McCarthy
What is perhaps most interesting from the nominations are the counties which provided their support to Flor McCarthy.
As the Irish Farmers Journal revealed this week, McCarthy’s six nominations came from his native Kerry, as well as Clare, Louth, Meath, Tipperary south and Waterford.
The three that stick out there are Louth, Meath and Waterford. Those three were close to former president Eddie Downey. Meath is Downey’s base and its near neighbour Louth moved in unison to support McCarthy.
During the presidential election of 2013, Waterford was Downey’s home from home, his second base. Eddie’s wife Mary is a Waterford native and member of an influential contracting family in the county. After some movements, Waterford provided its support to McCarthy on Wednesday morning.
A protest vote? A show of influence from Downey to block either the whistle-blower Deane or deputy O’Leary from running? We may never know.
The election will take place in April with the 15th president in power by the end of that month. Read more
Full coverage: IFA elections 2016
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