Farmers on the move : the strategic mobilisation of the farming lobby in 1960s Ireland

This paper traces the origin, development and mobilisation of the farming lobby in 1960s Ireland. It constitutes part of the oral history of farming in Ireland and illustrates the early history of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) from a time when there were few structures up until the 1980s when it stood as one of the most important and influential organisations in the country. Through personal experiences and a number of documented contemporary sources, this paper captures the lives of men and women who participated at this pivotal time.