The IFA AGM was – amazingly – Joe Healy’s last as president. While the election to succeed him won’t take place until the end of the year, everyone was keeping an eye on likely contenders.
Presentations were made to five county chairs whose terms are almost up: Donegal’s Michael Chance, Sligo’s JP Cowley, Leitrim’s James Gallagher, Longford’s Sean Conefrey and Westmeath’s Kenneth Bray.
Their retirement leaves only two other links on the council to the tumult in late 2015: Tim Cullinan and James Murphy.
Murphy was the then south Leinster vice-president, and is currently the Kilkenny co-chair. I understand that a little-known IFA rule means that he must step down after only two years of his term. This is because he will have served 10 unbroken years on the council, having been national sheep chair prior to the regional chair role.
Looking up: among the potential IFA election candidates in this photo of the IFA renewables project team are: Front Nigel Renaghan (2nd from left); Tim Cullinan (centre); John Coughlan (fourth from the right) and James Murphy (far right).
Cullinan, the then Tipperary north chair, is now the national treasurer/returning officer, and is openly readying himself for a run at the presidency. Padraig Walshe and Tom Parlon were been elected from the same launchpad.
Angus Woods has also displayed ambitions to be the next president.
The Wicklowman currently holds the most difficult job in the IFA: livestock chair. A depressed beef market and the looming iceberg that is Brexit mean he has a massive job on hand.
The extent of the problem was made clear to Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed at the AGM.
The intervention of Limerick chair Shay Galvin, who has a shed full of bulls that he can’t shift, was particularly effective.
Outside contenders
Are there any other presidential possibles? A few names are in the frame, the most prominent being John Coughlan and Martin Stapleton.
The farm business chair reported to the AGM that agreement has been reached with Deloitte to remain as the IFA’s auditors.
Concerns had been raised over Deloitte representing vulture funds.
They will remain in that capacity, having undertaken that they will engage in dialogue with the IFA over credit cases where the association is representing a farm whose loan has been taken over.
Cullinan and Woods both have higher profiles. It could be that Stapleton will run for deputy president, as indeed might Coughlan.
It’s been so long since a Corkman contested the presidency he could gain momentum.
I hear Kildare chair Brian Rushe might seek the deputy job. I’ll also be watching Nigel Renaghan and the aforementioned James Murphy.
One man running in a different race is Pat Gilhooley, the rural development vice-chair.
He was ratified as a Sinn Féin candidate for the Leitrim County Council elections and must relinquish his IFA position.
The IFA AGM was – amazingly – Joe Healy’s last as president. While the election to succeed him won’t take place until the end of the year, everyone was keeping an eye on likely contenders.
Presentations were made to five county chairs whose terms are almost up: Donegal’s Michael Chance, Sligo’s JP Cowley, Leitrim’s James Gallagher, Longford’s Sean Conefrey and Westmeath’s Kenneth Bray.
Their retirement leaves only two other links on the council to the tumult in late 2015: Tim Cullinan and James Murphy.
Murphy was the then south Leinster vice-president, and is currently the Kilkenny co-chair. I understand that a little-known IFA rule means that he must step down after only two years of his term. This is because he will have served 10 unbroken years on the council, having been national sheep chair prior to the regional chair role.
Looking up: among the potential IFA election candidates in this photo of the IFA renewables project team are: Front Nigel Renaghan (2nd from left); Tim Cullinan (centre); John Coughlan (fourth from the right) and James Murphy (far right).
Cullinan, the then Tipperary north chair, is now the national treasurer/returning officer, and is openly readying himself for a run at the presidency. Padraig Walshe and Tom Parlon were been elected from the same launchpad.
Angus Woods has also displayed ambitions to be the next president.
The Wicklowman currently holds the most difficult job in the IFA: livestock chair. A depressed beef market and the looming iceberg that is Brexit mean he has a massive job on hand.
The extent of the problem was made clear to Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed at the AGM.
The intervention of Limerick chair Shay Galvin, who has a shed full of bulls that he can’t shift, was particularly effective.
Outside contenders
Are there any other presidential possibles? A few names are in the frame, the most prominent being John Coughlan and Martin Stapleton.
The farm business chair reported to the AGM that agreement has been reached with Deloitte to remain as the IFA’s auditors.
Concerns had been raised over Deloitte representing vulture funds.
They will remain in that capacity, having undertaken that they will engage in dialogue with the IFA over credit cases where the association is representing a farm whose loan has been taken over.
Cullinan and Woods both have higher profiles. It could be that Stapleton will run for deputy president, as indeed might Coughlan.
It’s been so long since a Corkman contested the presidency he could gain momentum.
I hear Kildare chair Brian Rushe might seek the deputy job. I’ll also be watching Nigel Renaghan and the aforementioned James Murphy.
One man running in a different race is Pat Gilhooley, the rural development vice-chair.
He was ratified as a Sinn Féin candidate for the Leitrim County Council elections and must relinquish his IFA position.
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