‘You won’t make friends in this job’

An open letter to Damian McDonald, appointed director general of the Irish Farmers Association last week

Damian McDonald, appointed director general of the Irish Farmers Association last week

The former chief executive of Horse Sport Ireland will take up his new role in the new year, more than a year after Pat Smith, former director general of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), resigned following revelations about his pay.

McDonald’s appointment comes at a critical time for the IFA. The Irish agri-food and drink industry’s reliance on Britain accounted for 41 per cent of all exports last year. The fall of sterling ...