MICHAEL GOWING, a 30-year-old farmer from Laois, was yesterday elected 32nd president of rural youth organisation, Macra na Feirme.
Mr Gowing has been a member of Portlaoise Macra club since 1996, and is the current Macra na Feirme national chairman.
He defeated the challenge from Flor O’Gorman, Imokilly, Waterford and Thomas Quirke, Galway who ended up level in the voting, four votes behind Mr Gowing.
Mr O’Gorman was eliminated when his name was pulled from a hat where the two candidates names had been placed. His votes from the various clubs, were distributed in the final count between Mr Gowing and Mr Quirke and the victor was the Laois man.
Speaking after his election, Mr Gowing said that he was very proud to come from Portlaoise Macra club which was now the only one in Macra history to have given the organisation two presidents. Hugh Ryan had been president from 1965 to 1967.
Mr Gowing will be inaugurated as president at the organisation’s national agm which will be held in Wicklow on May 9th next.
Results were also announced in the vice presidential elections for Macra’s three regions, Munster, Leinster and the North West.
Michael Manley from the Glenville Macra club in Cork was declared the winner in the Munster race, while Tommy Dolan from Hackettstown Macra club in Co Carlow has been elected as Leinster’s vice president.
Organisation for rural youth that remains worth celebrating: page 16