The public face of the IFA is the president and other national officers and committee chairs. The role of the staff behind them is often not fully grasped.

But Tim Cullinan, Brian Rushe, Joe Healy, and all who have served the organisation in senior positions, are fully aware of their importance. For support and training of fledgling branch and county officers, for research, both broad and deep, across a bewildering variety of issues, for advice and leadership in both policy and strategy formulation and enactment.

It’s only fitting, therefore, to recognise the seven staff leaving at present.

Kevin Kinsella, Catherine Lascurettes and Fintan Conway have been authoritative on livestock, dairy, and grain matters, respectively, for a generation.

Fintan Conway was named in a court action by the Competition Authority citing “unfair trading practices” (they could say it when they wanted) following a grain protest.

IFA grain committee executive secretary Fintan Conway. \ Donal O'Leary

Kevin Kinsella was one of the “Brazil three” who went undercover to uncover the lack of traceability in Brazilian beef, which ultimately led to an EU ban.

Catherine Lascurettes helped to maintain good relations between IFA representatives and dairy co-op boards, both farmer and non-farmer.

Anthony Clinton and Seán Clarke, two of the regional officers, are also retiring.

Seán was responsible for Cork – one county and three executives. The politics of Cork IFA is as complex and mysterious as the Holy Trinity but Seán was a capable and affable counsel.

Kevin Kinsella, IFA director of livestock. \ Donal O'Leary

Anthony’s biggest test came following the resignations of Eddie Downey and Pat Smith, when the mood in Meath was volatile and angry. His tact and acumen helped keep the lid from blowing altogether, always with a smile.

For farmers who contacted the IFA in Dublin with a problem, Mary Jenner was often the first point of contact. Her deep understanding of schemes and the Department that ran them meant most farmers whose cases she took ownership of got sorted.

Ann Rose has been based in the Kilkenny office, and will be hugely missed. She was one of the “Moneypennys” of the organisation, always bailing out branch chairs and commodity officers needing a copy of a report or a list of branch members or a contact number for a member and in a hundred other ways.

I wish them all well in their next endeavours.