Micheál Martin could be found in Tullamore on Sunday, when Cork’s footballers played Offaly, with the Taoiseach’s son Micheál Aodh the sub goalie for the Leesiders. Sitting beside him was Offaly GAA county chair Tom Parlon. What are the odds the conversation turned to protests?

In 1999, Micheál Martin was a member of cabinet when protesting IFA members, led by president Tom Parlon, brought sheep into the Department of Agriculture’s offices, causing consternation.

The following year, Parlon led the IFA’s fortnight-long blockade of beef processing plants. That was the protest where the IFA, faced with daily fines of €500,000 for contempt of court for breaching injunctions, disbanded. Farmers remained on the pickets, and gained the 90p/lb they sought within days. And in 2001, Parlon and the IFA were in a protracted dispute with Irish Sugar and Greencore, one that required the intervention of Enterprise Minister and Tánaiste Mary Harney.

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But by 2005, when farmers were protesting at sheep plants and fighting with Government over the loss of the closure of Carlow and Mallow sugar factories, Tom Parlon had joined Harney’s Progressive Democrats and was in Government alongside Micheál Martin.

The Coolderry man pursued a career with the Construction Federation after losing his seat in 2007, but showed his continuing loyalty to IFA by turning up outside Bord Bia earlier this week.

Perhaps the message he brought from Micheál Martin was that the IFA need more concrete evidence for the Government to jettison Larry Murrin.