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Macra na Feirme has elected its new national president in the first contested presidential race since 2017. \ Philip Doyle
John Keane, a dairy and beef farmer from north Tipperary has been elected as the 38th president of Macra na Feirme after seeing off competition from a fellow countyman Daniel Long.
Keane was elected by a comfortable margin of 105 votes to 12.
Keane first joined Macra in 2014 as a member of the Devil’s Bit club. He has held various positions throughout the organisation most recently treasurer of his club and chair of the board.
He was also a driving force behind Macra’s Make the Moove campaign which centred on tackling issues around rural mental health.
April 7, 2021 3:53 pm
Elaine Houlihan has been elected the next Macra na Feirme Munster vice-president, beating stiff competition from Áine McCarthy.
The total poll cast for Munster vice-president was 62, of which Houlihan secured a majority, with 42 votes cast in her name.
She is currently the chairperson of Limerick Macra and her home club is Kilmallock Macra.
Although she is a qualified physiotherapist, Houlihan currently works for a local TD in Co. Limerick.
She is a former chairperson of her club, Kilmallock Macra, and also sits on the Macra na Feirme National Competitions Committee.
Announcing her candidacy in February, Houlihan said that her main aim is to reboot clubs with a major focus on their members, noting: “Macra clubs across the county are member-led and member-run and [a] one-fix all solution doesn’t work for all clubs.”
Laois beef and dairy farmer John Keane was today elected the 38th president of Macra na Feirme.
A member of the Devils Bit Macra Club in North Tipperary, Keane is the current National Chairperson of the Macra na Feirme Board of Directors.
He is also the co-founder of the Make the Moove Initiative, a farmer-driven, farmer-led program promoting positive mental health among farmers and rural people, with the ultimate goal of a nationwide network.
Following confirmation of the result, Keane thanked all the clubs and members who voted for him and also offered his commiserations to runner up Daniel Long.