The Dealer understands that Galway IFA county chair Pat Murphy is coming under pressure from a group of disaffected members.

Stephen Canavan from Corofin is understood to be leading the heave. Canavan is vice chair of Galway IFA and is understood to have the support of incumbent co-chair Peter Gohery, as well as the majority of the Galway executive.

The lack of support in Murphy stems from his support of IFA president Eddie Downey during the beef crisis. Murphy backed Downey over the association’s stance not to return to the factory gates after the last protest in November.

The move caused ructions with some saying that Murphy was not speaking for the majority of Galway farmers.

This would effectively be the third vote on the chairmanship of Galway IFA in less than two years.

Local opinion is divided on the prospects of the coup’s success, with some questioning its timing, coming as it does just as a new farm organisation is being set up in the region.