It seems, barring last-minute drama, that there will only be one contest for a regional chair position.

John Coughlan and John O’Brien of Cork will seek to succeed James McCarthy. James Murphy and Bert Stewart are not being opposed in south Leinster and Ulster/north Leinster respectively, and are set to serve for a further two years.

In Connacht, it seems that John O’Beirne of Roscommon will also be unopposed, not because of any lack of opposing candidates but because there are so many prospective candidates that there are no counties available to give a second nomination to either Tom Turley (Galway), Padraig Joyce (Mayo) or Eddie Davitt (Sligo). There are three candidates in the deputy presidential contest. Nigel Reneghan was first to declare and first to file his nomination papers, receiving support from Cavan, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, and Leitrim as well as his native Monaghan.

Pat Farrell has been nominated by Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Offaly, Cork west, and his native Kildare, with Richard Kennedy being backed by Kilkenny, Waterford, north Cork, Clare, Donegal, and his own county of Limerick.

It is envisaged that the term of office shall begin at the 2016 AGM, to be held in April, and end at the 2018 AGM. The IFA AGM is normally held in January, and with future elections returning to the traditional November/December timing, the next president’s first term will be curtailed by a few months.