A COUNTY Limerick woman will become only the second female to serve as president of Macra na Feirme when she takes on the role next May.
Elaine Houlihan from Athlacca is currently Munster vice-president of the rural youth and farming organisation. A physiotherapist by profession, she is from a beef farming family who also run an agricultural engineering business.
She was announced as the next president following the close of nominations last Wednesday when she was the sole candidate nominated. She will succeed current president John Keane at the Macra AGM for a two-year term.
Before her election as Munster vice-president, Ms Houlihan was a leading member of the Kilmallock Macra branch and also served as chairperson of the Limerick County Macra executive.
Daughter of former Macra member Eamonn Houlihan and his wife Ann, the 27-year-old studied physiotherapy in the Netherlands, and graduated from Saxion University of Applied Sciences in 2019.
The only previous female president was Catherine Buckley from Cork who served from 2007 to 2009 and was also elected unopposed.
