It’s now over 260 days since Pat Smith and the IFA parted company. The first seven of those days saw a rapid deterioration in relations between Smith and the organisation he headed for the previous seven years.

On 19 November, announcing Smith’s departure, then-IFA president Eddie Downey described it as “very regrettable and a great loss to the association and Irish farmers”.

Smith, for his part, said: “The IFA is bigger than any one person. I have decided to put the best interests of the association to the fore. It has been a great honour and privilege to work with IFA for the past 25 years. I want to wish IFA and the voluntary officers well and I would like to thank the dedicated staff for their loyalty and commitment during my time in IFA.”

Seven days later, on 26 November, Smith was demanding payment of a €2m settlement from the IFA. By this stage, Downey had also resigned.

An initial €1m was to be paid immediately, Smith alleged, and pledged this to charity.

The IFA, in a statement issued that evening in reply, stated “[Smith] didn’t ‘stand down’. In effect, he was fired.”

The IFA further said that its council “has rightly disowned this package”. The statement continued that “the council is the governing body of [the] IFA and we will fight his severance claim all the way”.

No bridge has been built between the two sides since, and the matter is heading for the courts. There are two separate actions, one instigated last December, one this April. Both cases are scheduled for the High Court on 10 October, affidavits having being filed last month.

Smith has hired the legal firm of former rugby international Donal Spring to represent him. The IFA is being represented by Arthur Cox.

It has been reported that one action is for unfair dismissal, and one for defamation.

The Dealer has many talents, but a legal expert I am not, so I will wait until October for the matters to get a public airing. Unless they are settled before then.