The Dealer is always curious as to the identities the real (part-time and full-time) farmers running for the country’s highest office. I am collating a list of the farmers running in the general election and want your help.

I want real farmers though: the ones with dirt under the finger nails, not the ones with a brother’s cousin who had sheep 50 years ago or those “from a farming background”.

The Dealer appreciates that there are a lot of those, so where do you start? You can contact me through the details above.

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Here are a few to get the ball rolling and Tipperary leads the way, it seems.

  • Jackie Cahill: Fianna Fáil candidate in Tipperary is a dairy farmer and former ICMSA president.
  • Pat Deering: Fine Gael candidate for Carlow/Kilkenny.
  • Michael D’Arcy: Fine Gael candidate for Wexford.
  • Paddy O’Rourke: Fianna Fáil candidate standing in Sligo, Leitrim, west Cavan and south Donegal.
  • James Bannon: Fine Gael candidate in Longford/Westmeath.
  • Tom Barry: Fine Gael candidate in Cork east.
  • Andrew Doyle: Fine Gael candidate in Wicklow.
  • Michael Fitzmaurice: independent candidate in Roscommon/Galway.
  • Martin Heydon: Fine Gael candidate in Kildare south.
  • Noel Coonan: Fine Gael candidate in Tipperary.
  • Michael Smith: Fianna Fáil candidate in Tipperary.
  • Michael McNamara: Labour candidate in Clare.
  • Michael Moynihan: Fianna Fáil candidate in Cork northwest.
  • Read more

    Watch: farming TD time-travels on campaign trail in Back to the Future skit