Angus in running for IFA presidency
WICKLOW man Angus Woods is one of three candidates in the running to become the next IFA President.
The Ballinabarney farmer and current National Livestock Chairman, will go up against Munster Regional Chairman John Coughlan and National Treasurer Tim Cullinan in his bid for the top job.
All three candidates secured the nominations of their own County Executive and five other County Chairs in order to take a run at the IFA leadership.
Mr Coughlan from the Buttevant branch is nominated by the Cork North County Executive and Harold Kingston (Cork Central), Corney Buckley (Cork West), Shay Galvin (Limerick), James Murphy (Kilkenny) and Martin Gilvarry (Mayo).
Mr Cullinan from the Toomevara branch is nominated by the Tipperary North County Executive and Erica O’Keeffe (Tipperary South), Richard Scally (Offaly), John Curran (Meath), Brendan McLaughlin (Donegal) and Willie Hanrahan (Clare).
Mr Woods from the Barndarrig branch is nominated by the Wicklow County Executive and James Kehoe (Wexford), George Collier (Carlow), Jim O’Connor (Roscommon), Francie Gorman (Laois) and Gerard Melia (Louth).
In addition to this, Brian Rushe, the Kildare/West Wicklow IFA Chairman has been nominated to run for the role of Deputy President. The other candidate in that particular field is National Environment Chairman Thomas Cooney.
Mr Rushe from the Carbury/ Cadamstown branch is nominated by the Kildare County Executive and supported by Gerard Melia (Louth), Jim O’Connor (Roscommon), Richard Scally (Offaly), Anne Baker (Cork North) and Shay Galvin (Limerick), while Mr Cooney, from the Laragh branch, is nominated by the Cavan County Executive and supported by Gavin White (Longford), Erica O’Keeffe (Tipperary South), John Curran (Meath), Brendan McLaughlin (Donegal) and Frank Brady (Monaghan).
The South Leinster Chairman Tom Short has been returned unopposed for a second two-year term.
Debates will begin on October 21 and run until November 21. Voting will take place in each of IFA’s 945 branches from Monday, November 25, until Friday, December 13.
The election count will take place in Dublin on Tuesday, December 17, and the successful candidates will take up office at the AGM in January 2020.