It’s very rare for someone to be both a farm leader and a leading farmer. Padraig Walshe was both for four decades, affecting farming life in Ireland on a public and personal level, affecting national policy and representing individuals from every corner of the country.

From Bishopswood, Durrow, Co Laois, Padraig was educated at Cullohill NS, St Kierans College, Kilkenny and Warrenstown Agricultural College. His father Paddy entrusted him with the family farm when he was only 22. He decided to transform the 70ac mixed farm, which had been improved by his father, into a dairy farm, where like so many of his generation, he was stymied by the advent of milk quotas.

Padraig quickly became active in Macra, becoming chair of the crucial Agricultural Affairs committee and Leinster vice-president, before being elected president in 1987. He prioritised the issue of quota access for young farmers, and championed the importance of young farmers becoming involved in their co-ops and farm relief services. Macra also secured a place at the Programme for National Recovery talks as a social partner during his presidency. Padraig was elected vice president of European young farmers’ organisation CEJA in 1989.

Padraig married Ella Hennessy in 1983, forming a close partnership in life, in farming and through his career as a farm leader. Their kitchen became a hub for the progression of dairy farming, with Padraig involved in the seminal Blackwater and Damer discussion groups. The farm was a beacon for dairy management techniques like grass measuring, extended grazing and early turnout.

Padraig Walshe, pictured speaking at the Irish Grassland Association annual dairy conference in Cork. \ Donal O’Leary

Padraig was president of the Irish Grassland Association from 1995-97, which overlapped with him becoming one of Ireland’s first Nuffield scholars. His project was titled “Ireland’s place in the world of milk in the new century”.

An imposing figure in a meeting, whether at the top table or the back of the hall, Padraig was surprisingly softly-spoken. While national policy was always a priority, he devoted a huge amount of time to assisting individuals with pressing problems, which he would describe as “missions of mercy”.

At the same time, he progressed through the ranks of the IFA, serving as county chair and national dairy chair before contesting the presidency in 2001. While unsuccessful, he rebounded to be elected national returning officer/treasurer soon after. Four years later, he was elected as the IFA’s 12th president, taking office in January 2006.

The four years of Padraig Walshe’s IFA presidency were extremely busy ones. The opening months saw the closure of Mallow factory by Irish Sugar, and with it, the demise of Ireland’s sugar beet processing industry. This had become inevitable due to the restructuring of the EU’s sugar regime. In 2008, the midterm review of the CAP, known as the “Health Check”, made few changes to existing schemes. However, funds for a ewe payment, long campaigned for by the IFA were secured. More crucially, in 2008 Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel pledged to eliminate dairy and sugar beet quotas. For Padraig, it was a huge moment, promising to unleash Ireland’s potential for dairy production in the following decade.

WTO

In 2008, he led a strong campaign against a World Trade Organisation deal where the EU Commissioner for Trade Peter Mandelson’s proposals would have devastated Ireland’s beef sector. A tough battle with Government ended with then Taoiseach Brian Cowen pledging to use Ireland’s veto should a bad deal for Irish farming be concluded.

Padraig’s calmness under pressure was tested when the WTO talks went to the wire, and he was present and lobbying hard in Geneva when they collapsed.

The dioxin crisis and pork product recall was another crisis successfully negotiated during his presidency. The IFA secured a record level of funding for farming in the 2007 social partnership talks, but then had to negotiate support for funding as the economy collapsed towards the end of the decade.

His standing across Europe was confirmed by his election as president of COPA, the European farmer organisation umbrella body in April 2009.

At home, Padraig and Ella, and their son Pat, extended the farm significantly through the years. His children Julieanne, Catherine, Elma and Pat were always his greatest joy, and he delighted in his six grandchildren. Outside of farming, he loved sports and was a devoted follower of Laois’s GAA teams.

Padraig chaired FBD plc (the co-op) since 2011, and served on the board of insurance company FBD Holdings almost continuously since 2006. A lifelong commitment to his dairy processor saw him strongly support the evolution of Glanbia into a succesful plc and then the buyback by the co-op of the Irish business as Tirlán.

We extend our sympathies to Ella, Julieanne, Catherine, Elma and Pat, his beloved grandchildren, his extended family and wide circle of friends across the Irish farming community.