INTERVIEW

Louise Hogan

IT’S true to say that John Comer won’t miss driving the highways and byways of Ireland after six years at the helm for the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).

Yet, the father-of-three admits that he’ll miss the “healthy” late-night debates, the to-ing and fro-ing of ideas and, sometimes, the ardent views of the farmers that he has met around the country.

“From a personal capacity I’d be delighted to get back home for a while, yet having said that I thoroughly enjoyed my six-year term as president of the ICMSA. It was a great honour and a great privilage,” says Mr Comer, with the race for his replacement looking like a one-man show — deputy president Pat McCormack is currently unopposed.

“It will be a case of going from hero to zero but I’ve come to the stage in life that I’m mentally capable of adjusting to that no problem.”

A betting man might have fun on the odds on the length of time that he’ ll be back in the parlour on the dairy and beef farm in the village of Ballyvary, Co Mayo as other high-profile farm leaders have gone on to dip their toes into the world of business and politics too.

“I’ ll be there for the next month anyways,” he jokes.

Amid questions over his political ambitions, Mr Comer quipped his late father always used to say ‘Keep a cool head, an open mind and a clean shirt and you won’t make too many mistakes.’

“I’ ll remain apolitical until