Search Results for 'Pat Smith'

It has never happened before that an IFA President was elected on the first count, but such was Joe Healy’s landslide victory that he exceeded the quota, taking more than 14,000 votes, a whopping 50 per cent of the electorate. It really was a stunning victory and it was obvious the Athenry dairy farmer’s message had resonated right across the country.

The west has not been home to an IFA president since the 1990s when Abbey Duniry based John Donnolly was at the helm of the organisation, but the region has a big chance of producing a farm leader once again in Athenry man Joe Healy.

With the controversy in the IFA showing no sign of abating, the Galway county chairman has called for cool heads to get the organisation out of its current choppy waters.