Last January, Pat Smith faced a surprise motion of no confidence at the IFA AGM. The day was filled with confusion, as the motion had been kept secret by its signatories. At the time, we reported that there had been a “unanimous” yes vote, because that was what IFA insisted had happened. The accompanying clipping came from the following week’s (7 February 2015) Dealer column. It’s worth re-reading.

There was a motion expressing dissatisfaction with Pat Smith on the table from the Laois executive. Similar motions from Wexford and Limerick had been dealt with by Smith attending meetings in those counties and answering criticism of his style on the ground – and, it must be said, impressively.

There were hopes that the censure would bring about a change of style.

It clarifies the chain of events: the Laois motion being superceded by the no-confidence motion. Following a recess, Eddie Downey then proposed a motion of confidence in Pat Smith that was heard first and was carried. Five people voted against this. I can now reveal that they were Pat Farrell, Pat Hennessy, Tim Cullinan, Andrew Dundas and James Murphy. At least two other members of the executive board abstained.

John Bambrick, presumably in the interest of unity, called for the motion to be unanimous. This was reported to us, and we reported it in good faith.

The motion was indeed seconded and carried without objection, but the meeting was breaking up and many of the main protagonists were totally unaware of this last scene tagged on the the day’s events.

It quickly became obvious that this narrative completely undermined Cullinan, Deane, Farrell and Hennessy. To suggest that they had brought a motion of no-confidence to a meeting and then had supported an opposite motion was not credible.

Hopes that Pat Smith would adjust his style following this extraordinary day were not fulfilled, and he has now departed.

It’s interesting that John Bambrick, in his capacity as Kilkenny chair, now brings a motion to council from his county calling for his countyman James Murphy, who openly opposed Pat Smith, to step down along with his fellow executive board officers.

It’s a funny old world.

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Full coverage: IFA turmoil continues