Death of veteran of the milk wars

A WEST Limerick farmer who led Golden Vale Co-op through one if its most difficult stages has passed away.

Dairy farmer Martin Flanagan, Gurrane, Kilmeedy, will be remembered as a co-operative leader who gave unselfishly of his talents of firmness, fairness and impartiality, for the benefit of farmers.

He became the third chairman of Golden Vale, in 1974, immediately prior to a period of serious loss making, large-scale redundancy, closure of the engineering division, and milk wars.