Murphy elected to IFA hot seat

ARDRAHAN’S Pat Murphy is the new Galway IFA Chairman – seeing off the challenge of Mullagh’s Noel Kelly at last Monday night’s AGM in Athenry.

In what is understood to have been a strong contest between the two men, Murphy prevailed in the end, after declaring his interest in the position as far back as last December.

Noel Kelly only ‘declared’ for the position less than two weeks ago but is understood to have pulled in a good vote in his bid to be Galway Chairman for the next four years.

Corofin’s Stephen Canavan is the new Vice-Chairman defeating Caherlistrane’s Enda Monaghan while Eyrecourt’s Peter Gohery is the new second National Council Rep. – he saw off the challenge of Ambrose McDonagh (Kiltormer-Laurencetown) for that position.

It was a night of contests at the AGM that attracted a crowd in the region of 300 people, with close on 250 having a vote. Ann Mitchell of Menlough is the Galway Farm Family Rep. defeating Mona O’Donoghue-Concannon (Claregalway) for the job.

Chairman of Galway IFA for the past four years, Michael Flynn, is the new Livestock Rep. holding off the challenge of Headford’s Tom Curran for that position.

Noel Kelly stays on as Assistant-Secretary – Kevin Hannon and Pat Hardiman, did not stand for the position after Kelly was beaten in the contest for ‘the chair’.

New Chairman Pat Murphy told the Farming Tribune this week he was delighted that there was a vote for the position and he thanked Noel Kelly for giving him ‘a tough but very fair contest’.

“Our strength in the IFA has always been our unity and I want to be a voice for all farmers in the county. I really think that here in Galway and in the region, we should be very proud of the quality of the food that we produce.

“One of my main aims is to ensure that farmers as producers get a fair deal from the major retailers and also from the meat plants. We produce food of unrivalled quality and we are entitled to a fair price for it,” said Pat Murphy.

He said that over the coming weeks, he planned to hold a major information forum in Galway – attended by Dept. of Agriculture officials – that would outline in detail all the different aspects of the new CAP package including the new environmental scheme.