Dairy farmer to lead IFA into tough future
Padraig Walshe, the association’s 47-year-old national treasurer, from Bishopswood, Durrow, Co Laois, topped the poll of 946 IFA branches across 29 county executives and was elected on the second count.
The declaration of his election as the twelfth IFA president by returning officer Seamus O’Brien was greeted with jubilation by his supporters at the count centre in City West Hotel, Dublin.
Mr Walshe, a former Macra na Feirme president and a past IFA dairy committee chairman, defeated Ulster-North Leinster vice-president Raymond O’Malley and deputy president Ruaidhrí Deasy to take the top post.
His wife Ella, his son and three daughters and his 86-year-old mother Sheila were present for his election after three weeks of voting and an exhausting campaign spread over several months.
Mr Walshe, the first dairy farmer since John Donnelly in 1993 to be elected IFA president, succeeds John Dillon and will take up office at the association’s annual general meeting on January 17 next.
An award-winning dairy farmer, who also runs a beef enterprise, he was also a candidate in the 2001 IFA presidential race.
After Mr Deasy was eliminated on the first count, Walshe received a total of 1,122 votes, while O’Malley got a final tally of 786.
A jubilant Mr Walshe was chaired through the crowd in which a Laois county flag was unfurled, before addressing the estimated crowd of 500.
He said there had been a record turnout in the election, giving him a strong mandate.
“Farming is not on the way out. Farming is still the backbone of rural Ireland and I intend to give it the leadership for the next four years, and to leave farming in a better position than it is today,” he said.
He said he was committed to working with the Government to remove the barriers to competitiveness and to building a vibrant industry that is attractive to young people as a career.
Derek Deane, a former livestock committee chairman and award-winning farmer from Hackettstown, Co Carlow, defeated Donal Kelly, Beara, Co Cork, the outgoing Munster vice-president, in the election for deputy president.
Elected regional vice-presidents were Sean O’Leary, Cork North chairman (Munster) and Michael Silke, Galway chairman (Connacht).
Returned unopposed as the two other regional vice presidents were Joe Brady, Cavan chairman (Ulster-North Leinster), and J J Kavanagh, a former Wexford chairman (South Leinster).
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association also elected a new president yesterday, Jackie Cahill, 43, of Killanan, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
John O’Leary, Killarney, defeated Martin McMahon, Clare, to secure the office of deputy president.
