James Reynolds

James Joseph Reynolds (born 7 December 1968) is an Irish farmer, nationalist and far-right politician who served as vice president of the National Party from 2016 to 2023. According to a statement attributed to the party, Reynolds was elected president of the National Party in mid-July 2023, although this is disputed by Justin Barrett. Reynolds was active in farming politics, serving as chairman of the Longford branch of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) from 1999 to 2003 and subsequently as treasurer of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) until 2017. He co-founded the National Party with Justin Barrett in November 2016. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the party at the 2020 Irish general election, standing in the Longford-Westmeath constituency. Farming activism Irish Farmers' Association Reynolds was elected chairman of Longford IFA branch in 1999, a position which he held until 2003. He then chaired his local Ballinalee IFA branch. He was a staunch critic of IFA president Pádraig Walshe. At the 2006 Ploughing Championships in Tullow, Reynolds organised up to twenty posters depicting Walshe with then-Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan in his arms with the words "Beet this" printed above them to be placed at various routes to the ploughing site. This referred to Walshe's alleged role in the demise of the Irish sugar industry.