Young and old dying on Irish farms

A litany of deaths made for tough listening at Laois Macra’s farm safety night.

Each was explained in detail by the RSA’s Roddy Molloy to the packed room of over 100 Laois farmers.

The stories included a boy aged 12 driving a tractor that overturned, a child aged five sent to move pheasants in a field, hit by his father’s tractor, a man aged 79 drowned trying to rescue an animal, and a man killed when a quad overturned and he hit his head. A hard hat would have saved him.

A five year old boy was struck by the bucket of an excavator, a 70 year old man crushed by a silage bale, and a 37 year old man was overcome by slurry fumes, fell in and was tangled in the agitator.

The latest campaign video by Embrace FARM told the story of Kevin Banville who died last year, leaving his young wife, a two year old and a newborn.

“We should have had our life ahead, instead I am just treading water. I ask people to have a look, slow down, kiss your wife goodbye and think what would happen if you don’t come back,” she says.

Mr Banville had made no will, the farm account is still in his name, and he had no insurance policy on his mortgage.