The importance of staying alert and vigilant on farms is being highlighted locally.
Today marks the start of Farm Safety Week.
Chairperson of North Tipperary IFA, Imelda Walsh has told Tipp FM, it’s already been a tragic year in terms of farm fatalities.
“Farm safety should be first and foremost in all our minds and sadly to date this year we have lost 15 people in farm fatalities.”
“And of those 15 sadly to report 9 of them were people over 65 and 3 of them were young children.”
“It’s a constant battle and sometimes it feels as though it’s a battle we are losing so we can never take our eye or our focus off this important subject.”
Angela Hogan’s partner, Brendan Kelly was killed in a farming accident in July 2011.
She’s now part of the Embrace Farm support group and speaking to Tipp FM, Angela said it’s important to raise awareness.
“Even though it is nine years you still do remember that day and especially around this time of the year you know”
“And I suppose when I always think of it as well is when I hear of other farm accidents because I know what they’re going to face.”
“I have got involved with Embrace Farm – it was set up in 2014 – and we’re just trying to make life a bit easier for widows and families following a farm accident.”
