Achievements of a hectic four years Capped by protest

BRINGING 20,000 farmers onto the streets of Dublin to peacefully protest against proposed changes in the Common Agricultural Policy was the highlight of John Bryan’s four years as president of the Irish Farmers’ Association.

His term as leader of the 88,000-member IFA comes to an end at noon tomorrow when incoming president Eddie Downey from Slane, Co Meath takes office at the annual general meeting in Dublin.

John Bryan, 55, from Inistioge, Co Kilkenny, said the 2012 Dublin protest sent a clear message across the European Union and helped to change proposals that he believed would have devastated Irish agriculture.