Donal Shinnick has been elected as the vice-chair of Dairygold, the co-op’s board has announced.

From Buttevant in Co Cork, Shinnick has been a member of the Dairygold Mallow regional committee since 2004, the Dairygold general committee since 2007 and the Dairygold board since 2019.

Shinnick is also the current chair and director of Co-operative Animal Health Limited (CAHL) and a director of Cork Racecourse Mallow Limited.

He holds a diploma in corporate direction (food business) from University College Cork (UCC).

Shinnick is married to Ann and they have four children - Thomas, Mairéad, Áine and Kate. Donal and Ann are farming in partnership with their son Thomas.

New chair

Last week, the board announced Pat Clancy from Ballyporeen in Co Tipperary as the new chair, defeating Brendan Hinchion.

Clancy succeeds Seán O’Brien, who served as Dairygold chair for the past two years and recently stepped down from the board having completed the maximum consecutive service period.