This is a subscriber-only article
Name and address: Donal Kennedy, Gorey, Co Wexford.
Family: My wife Winnie, sons Daniel, John, Mark and Colin, alongside a wide and extended family with three wonderful grandchildren – Daniel, Casey and Caoimhe.
Farm type: A dairy farm. Winnie and myself took over the running of the farm in 1999, starting off with 60 to 70 milking cows. Our aim was always to grow towards 150 cows as the lads got interested in farming. That’s where we are today.
Family involved in farming: All of them were and are very involved in the farm. Since they were 12 years of age, they have all played. We always wanted them to go away and get an education, so it would leave them with options for their own careers.
Family farm income: When the lads got up and going, there wasn’t enough for everyone from the farm, so the lads all had to do their own thing for a few years. They went travelling, into construction, into farm management, etc, but always came home to help out and give us a break. They loved it, they still do, and we love having them around.
In 2017, young Wexford farmer John Kennedy was tragically killed in a quad bike accident, leaving his heartbroken family behind to pick up the pieces.
We talk to his father, Donal, about the farm, the accident, the aftermath and coping without John.
Your son John was setting up a new business around the time of the accident?
John graduated from Waterford IT and then travelled to Australia. He stayed there for over six months and then interviewed for a farm job in west Cork and stayed down there for two and half years. He had a great time with great people.
The night before we lost John, we had a great chat about the grass-measuring business he was setting up. He had clients set up in Kilkenny, Tipperary, Wexford – all over the east. He was delighted with the way it was going.
What happened on the day you lost John?
We both walked across the yard at 6.30am. The routine was, he’d go for the cows on the quad and change wires, etc, and I’d make a start at milking before he’d come back to help me. The morning was nice, but it had been raining hard a few days before that so places were mucky.
When John didn’t appear back to the parlour, I knew something wasn’t right so I went and told Winnie that something was wrong and that I was going to look for John.
I sat up in the tractor and went to the field where the cows had come from. I drove around for a while, but saw nothing. Then, a lame cow belonging to John was strangely wandering around the gap – she hadn’t gone on with the rest of the cows to the parlour.
The cow led me down into a ravine and, from there, I could see John under the quad.
Can you describe the area where the accident happened?
It was U-shaped ravine and it looked like maybe a cow had gone down and up the other side and John had tried to follow her on the quad.
It looks like he got into trouble on the quad on the way up the other side of the ravine and had attempted to jump off.
The post-mortem results told us John broke his neck on the fall, so he died almost instantly.
When I arrived, the quad was on top of John, so I had to lift that off him. I then started working on him to try to get him going, blowing air into him and compressing his chest. It was no good. He was gone from us.
What happened in the following days?
The next couple of days and weeks were very difficult and without the support of our own family, our extended family, friends and visitors, it just wouldn’t have been possible to stay going. I spent 2017 like I was in a marl hole – you’d get halfway up and then you’d fall down again. Without a wonderful first cousin and my sister Marie, I’d have struggled even more.
Would you have been safety-conscious on the farm before the accident?
Yes, but not as much as we are now. Now, if we see a chain broken on the PTO or a cover not in place, it’s replaced immediately. We had a happy family farm and all the lads are well able to do all things on the farm.
Have you any advice for those on quads?
Every farmer knows if a cow or animal breaks away from the rest, the first thing a farmer will do is swing the quad around and put the foot down to try to pass her out.
I’m firmly of the opinion now that you shouldn’t race after the animal. Instead, count to 10.
Even if the cow is 100 yards away, she will slow down and you’ll pass her with no hassle on the quad without rushing.
Have there been any other farm safety changes?
We are at the stage now where we are not taking any chances.
Everything is replaced almost on the spot. If someone is working under a machine, we get the digger to ensure nothing falls on anyone.
We replaced a swinging door with a sliding door because the wind was catching it.
These are small things, but they can make a big difference because farms are dangerous places.
How has life been without John?
The only thing that saved me was being able to talk about it. I did have to go for counselling and I did get some solace out of that.
Only for the rest of the lads here, I wouldn’t have been able to keep the farm going. I’d always say now to have an open mind.
My cousin said this was all going to work out in mysterious ways and at the time I’d screech at him but, in hindsight, he was right.
You say you feel John is still around?
John is gone three years from 15 March 2017 and I still have bad days.
In 2017, there were more bad days than good days and only now are there beginning to be more good days than bad.
Yes, I believe John is still here with us and managing us from up above. I see little indications and signs at various times of the day – butterflies, feathers and robins – and it gives me great comfort.
SHARING OPTIONS: