The IFA Ulster/North Leinster regional chair election is cranking up as it moves into the last week of voting.

Both candidates, Cavan’s James Speares and Monaghan’s Nigel Renaghan, remain positive about their chances ahead of tonight’s Cavan hustings, but a distinct edge is being added to proceedings, with even a whiff of controversy.

Women

Last Wednesday, at the Westmeath hustings, while answering a question regarding how to improve the participation of both young people and women in the IFA, James Speares said: “I’m going to crack a joke here. The reason women have smaller feet is so they can get closer to the sink.”

There was little reaction either way at the time, but, since then, the story has been circulating to some degree.

It is understood it will be raised at tonight’s (Monday) hustings in Cavan, where James Speares is the sitting county chair.

The Speares campaign team believes that Renaghan supporters are trying to escalate a trivial matter. Others believe it’s more serious than that.

The only other counties left to vote are Renaghan’s native Monaghan, which meets tomorrow night, and Louth, which will wrap up the election on Thursday next.

Voting

The candidates address the executive of each county in turn, with the four delegates elected to represent the branch at the executive each having a vote. Votes are sealed and counted in Dublin. Donegal, Meath, Longford and Westmeath have already voted in this fashion.

During the campaign, the experience Renaghan gained in 25 head-to-head debates during the IFA deputy presidential race in early 2017 have stood to him, but Speares is running a strong ground game and may be shading it to date.

Often, a candidate will sweep to victory in their own county, but with Cavan and Monaghan bordering each other and sharing a political constituency, it’s still all to play for.

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Battling to lead the farmers of Ulster/north Leinster