Tributes paid to former Dairygold chair John O’Gorman

Tributes have been paid to former chair of Dairygold John O’Gorman who died last week.

The Tipperary man, who farmed in Clogheen, was a highly respected figure in the co-op and across the wider dairy sector. He served as chair of Dairygold for five years from 2018 to 2022.

After first being elected to the Dairygold Tipperary regional committee in 2009, he went on to join the general committee in 2012 and the board of Dairygold in 2013. He was subsequently elected vice-chair in 2017, before being elected chair of the society in 2018.

“John’s tenure as chairperson coincided with a pivotal period for both Dairygold and the wider dairy sector, during which he oversaw significant growth, the development of the society’s processing facilities and the ongoing evolution of the business,” current co-op chair Pat Clancy said.

“Throughout his 10 years on the board, John made many significant contributions, bringing a thoughtful and diligent approach to all aspects of the role.

“ He was widely regarded as a true gentleman and a person of great integrity,” said CEO Michael Harte.

John was highly regarded in the wider agri-food sector. In 2020, he was elected chair of Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) dairy committee.

He represented Dairygold on the Bord Bia board and was a Dairygold nominee director on the board of Ornua during the period 2018-2022.

He was known for always being willing to share his knowledge and took great pride in supporting younger farmers. He enjoyed hosting farm walks and dairy discussion groups.

He bore his illness in recent years with dignity and determination.

He is survived by his wife Alison, and three daughters Gemma, Jackie and Megan, and the wider O’Gorman family.