By Dan Walsh
An Taoiseach Simon Harris has confirmed he will be guest speaker at the Wexford IFA 70th anniversary Gala Dinner taking place in the Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy, next Saturday evening.
IFA president Francie Gorman and President of Wexford IFA Jer O’Mahony will also be amongst the speakers.
Mr O’Mahony said the most important aspect of the evening is to hear the stories of IFA members. “For me, it’s about the history. A lot of people today, and a lot of members would not understand the efforts that people 30, 40, 50 years ago put into the IFA. They had very little representation in terms of power. People just didn’t listen to them,” he said.
“It will be a great night, it will be full of stories, full of fun. It will also be a reflection for everybody on how far farming has come and changed in the past 70 years, with the help of the IFA,” added Mr O’Mahony, who is a beef and tillage farmer from Wellingtonbridge and soon to complete his term as Wexford IFA chair.
Alice Doyle, the IFA Deputy President, who farms at Ballyoughter, Gorey, alongside husband Tom on their beef and tillage farm outlined the long and proud history of the IFA in Wexford which has 54 branches.
In the 1960’s, Ms. Doyle said that farmers from across the country took to the roads and walked to Dublin from around the country as part of a national protest for better rights.
She said that around 80 farmers, including some from Wexford, were jailed in Mountjoy prison for a time for refusing to pay fines.
In 1980, a group of farmers from Wexford took a landmark legal action, which resulted in the abolition of rates for farmers. End of the so-called Griffith’s Valuation of Ireland system.
Wexford IFA (Irish Farmers’ Association) was known as the NFA (National Farmers’ Association) when it was established on January 6th, 1955.
Much of the history of Wexford IFA can be found in the IFA Farm Centre, Mill Park Road, Enniscorthy, which was opened in 1977.
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