Former garda to lead IFA after record poll

A FORMER garda was last night elected president of the 87,000 member Irish Farmers Association.

It was a decisive victory for 51-year-old John Bryan, Cappagh, Inistioge, Co Kilkenny, in the countrywide poll of the IFA’s 947 branches in 29 county executives.

He secured 1,147 branch votes (56%), 130 over the quota, and was declared elected on the first count by national returning officer Ruaidhri Deasy.