The great and the good of Kildare farming and IFA attended Friday night’s 60th anniversary celebration for IFA in the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge.

The event was organised by county chair Pat Farrell, while pig farmer Roy Galley cut a dash in his tartan kilt as master of ceremonies. The after-dinner formalities included a presentation to Juliet Greene, whose late husband Juan was the first president of NFA.

Former IFA president Michael Berkery promised he had only a few words to say, but then gave the longest speech of the night.

He quipped that at important events in Brussels he used to be introduced by his minder Michael Treacy, IFA’s European Affairs director, but tonight it was he who was there to introduce Treacy, key speaker on the night.

The Berks then revealed two secrets of IFA’s success. First, while IFA might complain loudly about ministerial decisions, its central tactic is to come up with solutions and push to have them implemented by Government, the Department or the EU.

Its other pillar is the work of its voluntary officers, he said.

Treacy gave a big picture view of what’s going down in Brussels – he was stationed there for 25 years.

Ciolos was a bad farm commissioner and the new CAP is so bad that the midterm review of 2017 might have to become a full reform, he said.