Grieving families remember those killed in farm accidents

THE eighth annual Embrace FARM (Farm Accident Support Network) Ecumenical Remembrance Service remembered all those who tragically lost their lives in Cork.

Embrace FARM was founded by Brian and Norma Rohan, a farming family from Shanahoe, Co. Laois in 2014 after Brian lost his father Liam Rohan in a farm accident in 2012.

Liam was a popular farmer who represented Ireland many times at the World Ploughing Championships. Like most farming families the Rohan’s experienced great and invaluable support from neighbours and friends but were surprised to find that there was little or no emotional or practical support networks available to farm families suffering such loss.

So, they established Embrace FARM which remembers those who have lost their lives, have been injured, supports survivors of farm accidents, their family members, friends and the wider community.

At the virtual remembrance service, Brian  read out the names of 228 deceased victims of farm accidents from the island of Ireland going back to 1945.

Cork, as the biggest county, was top of the list with 33 deaths. Next on  the list was Wexford with 18 deaths, Kilkenny had 17 deaths, Tipperary had 16 deaths and Galway had eight deaths. There were 29 deaths from the nine counties of Ulster.