Co. Tipperary IFA urged to cast their vote in organisation’s presidential election

South Tipperary's 3,500 IFA members are being called upon to turn out and vote in the organisation's presidential election, polling for which began on Monday. 

South Tipperary IFA chairperson Erica O'Keeffe said the IFA was the country's biggest farming organisation and it was vitally important that members come out and vote in the election to choose a new leader for the next four years.

"It has been a challenging last two years with the drought and beef crisis. It's important that as farmers we all stick together and try and fight the best way we can," she told The Nationalist. 

This election has extra local interest as IFA national treasurer Tim Cullinan, a pig farmer from Toomevara, is one of three candidates vying for the presidency.   

Up to 300 IFA members were at the Horse & Jockey Hotel on Thursday, November 14 to hear Mr Cullinan and his rivals John Coughlan from  Cork and Angus Woods  in Co. Wicklow lock horns in an election debate.

If he wins, Tim Cullinan will be following in the footsteps of three other former Tipperary IFA presidents Rickard Deasy, Joe Rea and TJ Maher. 

Balloting of South Tipperary's IFA members is taking place at 28 branch agms that began this Monday, November 25 and concludes on December 13. 

Emly and Ballingarry IFA members were the first to cast their votes  on Monday night. Hollyford will be the last South Tipp branch to vote on Thursday, December 12.  

IFA members will also be voting to elect a new deputy president in the election. The candidates are National IFA Environment Chairman Thomas Cooney and Kildare/West Wicklow IFA Chairman Brian Rushe. 

The election count is  in Dublin on Tuesday, December 17 and the 16th IFA president will take up office at the organisation's agm in January.