Dear Damien,

Thank you.

I actually feel like you have had a seat at the back of my classroom for the last week. I am a primary school teacher in the midlands. Over the last few weeks we have had to work on the topic of friendship and bullying. We have had lessons on the Stay Safe programme, which we found very productive. However, I feel one of the most important and poignant resources I used in class was your piece from the Irish Farmers Journal. I am a daughter of a devoted farmer but he is one of the most open-minded and grounded people I know. He would quote you regularly, but he cut out the piece from the paper. I brought it into school and read the piece out for the class. The reading had a reverberating effect which touched many corners of our room ... many of which I thought were untouchable. Your words allowed us all to step into those smaller shoes you walked in, but we also got to feel the baggage that came with the experiences you endured. As an adult who has had similar but more covert experiences in the workplace, I feel it is important for children to hear the voice of someone who has led a productive and nourishing life but yet the memories are there. I am forever grateful to you for your profound and touching article.

Many thanks and we hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas,

– Anne Marie Gilligan

We received this message in response to Damien O’Reilly’s column on bullying from 26 November

Insta inspiration

Instagram inspiration: Michelle Fallon shares Christmas craft ideas @michellemadethis

This festive season is all about the simple pleasures, and if you fancy getting creative with your Christmas décor, check out the DIY tutorials shared by Michelle Fallon @michellemadethis

From wooden snowmen decorations (pictured) that can also serve as gift tags or place settings to DIY wreaths made with foraged materials, there is no shortage of inspiration throughout December from the queen of Christmas.

Picture of the week

Farm manager: Dara Keane taking a well deserved break in his wheelbarrow after feeding the cows on his Grandad Patrick Keane's farm in Abbeyknockmoy, Co Galway.

Chef Janine’s tips

As I did our weekly shop over the weekend, I saw fresh cranberries for sale - a sure sign Christmas isn’t too far away.

I picked up a few punnets and made our recipe of the week: fresh cranberry and clementine crumb cake (see our Instagram and find the recipe online). I also made two jars of cranberry sauce for our festive feasts.

Just throw 500g cranberries, 200ml water, 250g sugar, the rind and juice of an orange and a star anise into a pot and let it boil away. When the liquid is absorbed and the cranberries have fully broken down – job done!

Quote of the week

The voluntary input of farmers in doing things for themselves is second to none anD that is often not recognised enough

- PETER Byrne

Tweet of the week

Number of the week

20: The number of requirements outlined when preparing to seek bank funding for dairy expansion