Josephine O’Neill of Callan Macra has been elected as the next president of Macra after the counting of votes on Friday concluded the month-long two-way leadership race.
O’Neill faced down competition from Conor Murphy of Whitechurch Macra, having received the backing of 82 clubs, as opposed to Muphy’s 53.
The race had been tight to call, with the six hustings leaving little between the two long-standing members.
A secondary school teacher and farmer, O’Neill will now lead the young farmers’ organisation for the two years.
She is the serving chair of Macra’s board, a role she had stated gave her an insight into the inner workings of the organisation and which had seen her steer the group out of choppy waters financially.
During the campaign, O’Neill had said that CAP negotiations, bovine TB and changing nitrates goalposts would be among the chief issues she envisages the next Macra president as having to face over their tenure.
Outgoing president Elaine Houlihan congratulated O’Neill on her victory, stating that the Kilkenny woman made history in being the first woman to win a contested Macra presidential election.
Vice-presidents
William Clancy of Borrisoleigh Macra was elected Munster vice-president on the first count after he received 32 out of the 63 votes cast.
The race for Munster vice-president had seen competition from fellow Tipperary candidate Tom Long of Rathkeevin, as well as two Cork candidates - Midleton Macra’s Liam Coppinger and Glanmire Macra’s John Lonergan.
Mountmellick Macra’s Andrew Dunne stepped into the Leinster vice-presidential role uncontested and John Duffy of Three Parishes Macra in Co Monaghan assumed the role of northwest vice-president also without challenge.
See next week’s Irish Farmers Journal for more.
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Josephine O’Neill of Callan Macra has been elected as the next president of Macra after the counting of votes on Friday concluded the month-long two-way leadership race.
O’Neill faced down competition from Conor Murphy of Whitechurch Macra, having received the backing of 82 clubs, as opposed to Muphy’s 53.
The race had been tight to call, with the six hustings leaving little between the two long-standing members.
A secondary school teacher and farmer, O’Neill will now lead the young farmers’ organisation for the two years.
She is the serving chair of Macra’s board, a role she had stated gave her an insight into the inner workings of the organisation and which had seen her steer the group out of choppy waters financially.
During the campaign, O’Neill had said that CAP negotiations, bovine TB and changing nitrates goalposts would be among the chief issues she envisages the next Macra president as having to face over their tenure.
Outgoing president Elaine Houlihan congratulated O’Neill on her victory, stating that the Kilkenny woman made history in being the first woman to win a contested Macra presidential election.
Vice-presidents
William Clancy of Borrisoleigh Macra was elected Munster vice-president on the first count after he received 32 out of the 63 votes cast.
The race for Munster vice-president had seen competition from fellow Tipperary candidate Tom Long of Rathkeevin, as well as two Cork candidates - Midleton Macra’s Liam Coppinger and Glanmire Macra’s John Lonergan.
Mountmellick Macra’s Andrew Dunne stepped into the Leinster vice-presidential role uncontested and John Duffy of Three Parishes Macra in Co Monaghan assumed the role of northwest vice-president also without challenge.
See next week’s Irish Farmers Journal for more.
Read more
Macra 2025 presidential campaign intensifies
Young Stock Podcast: from teaching home economics to finishing cattle
Young Stock: the Cork contractor with a grá for pit silage
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