There are now three candidates for the deputy presidency: Monaghan’s Nigel Renaghan, Limerick’s Richard Kennedy, and Kildare’s Pat Farrell.

Limerick nominated Richard Kennedy on Monday, following the withdrawal of Donal O’Brien.

In 2009, Kennedy contested the presidency, finishing behind Derek Deane and John Bryan. He was president of Macra from 1983-85, Limerick county chair from and chaired the dairy committee from 2005-2009.

Pat Farrell was ratified by Kildare on Monday. He was the national environment chair from 2008-2012, and is the current Kildare chair.

Last January, Farrell was one of the four men who presented a motion of no confidence in Pat Smith to the executive council.

Not running

Wexford’s Tom Doyle will not be in the deputy race. He is ending his term as farm business chair, but has just accepted the chair of Wexford Farmers Co-op, which has endured a few very difficult years, rationalising back to their core business of mart and auctioneering.

While Doyle says he believes the worst is over, and that the co-op has turned a corner, he still expects the job to be demanding, and thus will not contest the deputy presidency.

Tipperary north chair Tim Cullinan won’t be a candidate either. A pig farmer, Cullinan told the Irish Farmers Journal that the demanding nature of his business made it impossible to commit the time necessary to the role of deputy presidency “at this time”.

Connacht picture no clearer

In Connacht, following a week of controversy, the position is as confused as ever. At the time of writing, four counties have nominated candidates. The current regional chair Tom Turley overcame Bertie Roche last Thursday to receive the Galway nomination.

On Monday night, John O’Beirne was unopposed in Roscommon and received the nomination. This was in marked contrast to speculation- here and elsewhere- that saw four others being mentioned as potential challengers for the Roscommon nomination.

Donohoe wants livestock role

One of the names being floated was that of Bernard Donohue. Donohue previously sought this role in 2009, losing out narrowly to Padraig Divilly.

He was never a runner this time, as he has been openly canvassing to succeed Henry Burns as chair of the livestock committee for some months. It, like other committee chair positions where terms are up, won’t be filled until April.

On Tuesday night, Sligo met and nominated Eddie Davitt. Like John O’Beirne, he is the recent past county chair. This puts four men in the race, each needing a second nomination.

Leitrim is set to meet on Wednesday evening. As the only county left in play, the Leitrim executive has a lot of power in their hands.

They can ratify any of the four existing candidates, which would leave the other three in a deadlock situation, quite similar to the one Derek Deane and Tim O’Leary faced on the nomination deadline day. One candidate would have to give way to free up a nomination for the remaining candidates.

The other option is that Leitrim could nominate their own candidate, leaving five nominees, none of which would have the required second nomination.

The province would be in total deadlock, and IFA would have an unprecedented constitutional conundrum.

In last week’s paper, The Dealer column mischievously referred to Sligo and Leitrim as being like school children waiting to be picked for the football team. This was not meant to cause any offense, and The Dealer extends his humble apologies to anyone upset by this remark.

In any event, Leitrim is now holding all the aces in the most intriguing election in the west in living memory.

South Leinster

Dublin has nominated PJ Jones to contest the south Leinster presidency. Jones unusually was formerly a staff member of IFA, as executive secretary of the vegetable section until 2010. James Murphy, the outgoing regional chair, is the only other candidate currently in the race.

No change

Bert Stewart is still unopposed in Ulster/North Leinster, and increasingly likely to remain so. Current Louth county chair Matthew McGreehan was proposed for a nomination at the executive on Monday.

He declined the nomination, indicated his support for Bert Stewart, and said he would like to be a candidate for the post next time round.

John Coughlan and Johnny O’Brien, both of Cork, remain the only two candidates for the Munster regional chair role.

Nominations for all positions close next Wednesday, 3 February, at 5.30pm.