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25-06-2010

Lakeland dairyman receives highest co-op honour

Dessie Boylan, the former president of ICOS, a Chairman of Lakeland Dairies for over a decade, a life long dairy farmer, public representative and incoming Chairman of Cavan County Council has received the Irish co-operative movement’s highest honour, the Plunkett Award for Co-operative Endeavour. Mr. Boylan was accompanied at the ceremony by his wife Mary.


Speaking at the Award ceremony, Pat McLoughlin, President of ICOS (the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society) said; “Dessie Boylan’s impressive personal accomplishments are matched only by his immense community service and his commitment to the betterment of Irish agriculture through co-operative enterprise. His unstinting and selfless contribution is today recognised in this prestigious award which bears the name of Plunkett,  the founder of the Irish co-operative movement.”

Mr. Boylan was a member of both the Board and Council of ICOS since 1991, serving as Vice-President of ICOS for four years to 1998, following which he was elected President of ICOS in 1999, serving in this role to 2002.

Involved in public and community life from an early age,  Boylan has contributed to the quality of rural living at regional and national level through his involvement with Macra na Feorme where he served on the National Council and National Executive in the 1970s.  He was a founding member of Crosserlough Group Water Scheme and is a long standing and continuing committee member of Ballyjamesduff Co-operative Livestock Mart.

His Chairmanship of Lakeland Dairies from 1991 – 2001 ranks among the most notable of his achievements where he was a cohesive, progressive and popular influence throughout the co-op following its formation on the merger of the then Killeshandra and Lough Egish societies.  Prior to this he had started his co-operative creamery involvement with Kilnaleck which amalgamated with Killeshandra in 1973.  He joined the committee of Killeshandra in 1976 and was Chairman of the society as it commenced the merger talks with Lough Egish that led to the formation of Lakeland Dairies in 1990. Lakeland is Ireland’s second largest dairy processing co-operative.

Speaking for Lakeland Dairies,  the Co-op’s Chairman, Padraig Young said:  “The Plunkett Award to Dessie Boylan is a deserved tribute to a man who has devoted himself to community and public service all of his life.  I am very pleased to have worked with Dessie on the Board of Lakeland Dairies and our entire membership across fifteen counties will congratulate him and wish him and his family continuing success.”

Mr. Boylan has been a Fine Gael member of Cavan County Council since 1985 serving on Cavan County Development Board, Cavan Vocational Education Committee and as a member of the Border Regional Authority that made the case for Objective One Status for the border counties.   He is the incoming Chairman of the County Council.
 
The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society, ICOS represents over 150 co-operative businesses and organisations with a combined 150,000 individual members, 12,000 employees in Ireland and overall business turnover of some €10 billion. Irish agricultural exports contribute over €8.1 billion to the Irish economy each year and the sector accounts for 8.5% of national employment.