Remembering an outstanding businessman

Chris Comerford was a national figure as head of the Irish Sugar Company. He had, after graduating in agricultural science in UCD, worked his way up through the ranks of the nationally important State-owned body to become the company’s agricultural services manager under Maurice Sheedy.

In 1984 he became managing director. At that time, the Irish Sugar Company had four sugar beet processing factories – Carlow, Mallow, Thurles and Tuam.

The company as Greencore was then floated on the Irish Stock Exchange 1991. That same year, he became embroiled in a controversy over payments from an associated company and had to resign.

He then joined the McCann family who were turning Fyffes into a major international brand, and he continued to play a major role with them for the rest of his career.

The system of national quotas under EU rules was dismantled in stages from 2006 – the same year that sugar production controversially ceased in Ireland. Chris Comerford never accepted that sugar could not be grown profitably in Ireland.

He was widely recognised as an outstanding manager and businessman. A generous host and an original thinker, his wife Teresa predeceased him – they had four children, Noel, Fiona, Hilary and Jonathan. May he rest in peace.

A trailblazing farmer with a landmark victory

Donal Brady was one of Ireland’s leading pig farmers. Based in Co Longford, he came to national prominence when he won a spectacular legal victory over the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In opposing his plans for a new piggery, the EPA had insisted that pig slurry be designated as a waste product.

Donal Brady objected, and together with Vincent Flynn, formerly of Teagasc Grange but by then practising as an agricultural consultant, they contested the EPA decision in the High Court. They lost in Dublin where Mr Justice Charlton delivered a convoluted judgement against Donal Brady and in favour of the EPA’s designation of slurry as a waste.

Donal Brady, with scientific input relentlessly argued by Vincent Flynn, then took the case to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg and won.

The European Court confirmed a decision they had already made in a similar case in Spain.

The EPA had to go back to the drawing board in categorising slurry as a fertiliser, and had to develop utilisation rules recognising this reality.

It was a historic win for Irish farming and common sense.

Donal continued to farm successfully since then. In latter years, he had developed a sizable suckler enterprise which he recently converted into a dairy unit. He is survived by his wife Mary, four daughters and one son. May he rest in peace.