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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 writing was on the wall for his competitors since early morning. When Joe Healy started to poll strongly in Munster, which should have been the stronghold of Kerry native Flor McCarthy, the signs were ominous for the Kenmore man, and the IFA presidential race's third competitor, Laois native Henry Burns. The Athenry man was surging ahead before any box in Galway was opened, which was always going to have a significantly positive bearing on his final tally.