A few weeks back, I got a call from Caroline Casey of Cork County Council, asking if I would attend the launch of a children’s book on farm safety. It is a subject very close to my heart and I believe that each of us must continue to try and reduce the deaths and accidents on our farms.

There is always room for improvement, but oftentimes the money is not there to do the things we’d like. If hindsight was foresight, no accident would happen. Unfortunately, while we say accidents just happen, in a lot of cases they are caused and could have been prevented. So, the building of awareness is a job for each one of us.

After an accident takes place, there is generally too much hurt and grief for anyone to point the finger. So, being proactive about safety on our farms is a much better option.

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Water safety

Caroline is the water safety development officer with Cork County Council. Last Wednesday, I went into the library in Mallow where I met Caroline and she explained the pioneering work that Cork County Council is doing in promoting land, water and road safety.

The focus began around water safety about 18 months ago and was specifically targeted at primary schools. Cork County Council provides a water safety flag to schools who undertake the Primary Aquatic Water Safety (PAWS) programme. It is a six-week programme and has two elements to the training. One is land-based training and includes theory in the classroom, use of rescue equipment and general discussion about scenarios that could happen to children.

The other part of the training is water-based training. It takes place at the pool side and is run in conjunction with swimming classes. The school is awarded a flag if a number of projects are carried out.

They are generally of an artistic and very visual nature to encourage children to be aware of the dangers of water. Already 75 primary schools in Co Cork have received their flag. Swimming pools are also encouraged to get involved and several of them have already got their flags.

Calf

A group of Transition Year students from Mitchelstown set up a mini company to focus on farm safety targeting primary schools. Caroline worked with them to develop a farm safety booklet. The storyline for Sally and Jake, Stay Safe on the Farm came from Richard Maher.

The four lads leading the project scooped the bronze award, out of 64 projects, in the national Young Social Innovators competition last week in Dublin. They are Richard Maher, Kevin Coleman, Colm Devaney and David Blackburne. As I was introduced to the lads, Richard stretched out his hand with a big smile on his face saying: “Are you Katherine? You went to school with my auntie Bridget.”

Not only was Bridget in school with me but she was also one of my very best friends. In that moment, I was catapulted back to that time of my youth, of close friendships and summer sunshine. Bridget and I studied physics together for the Leaving Cert. I remember Richard’s father, Dickie, as just a little fellow.

It took me a few minutes to get back to the present and the four boys in front of me. They called their project CALF. It aptly stands for Calling All Little Farmers. The team have prepared a pack for primary schools that includes the new booklet and others on Adventures on Beech Tree Farm, The Freshly Calved Cow and Sally and Jake, Wise up around Water. The pack also includes a high visibility vest and various games and stickers. It costs €6. A certificate is awarded to the pupils on completion of this farm safety programme.

Carmel Ryan, TY coordinator at CBS Mitchelstown, told me that the school was very proud of the boys and what they had achieved. The boys also hope to go to the world final in Manila in the Philippines in August, but they will need to raise about €5,000 for the trip. I’ve no doubt that they will manage that too. The boys are thinking ahead, with Richard offering to produce a Filipino version of the book. In their heads, they are already on the plane.

A father speaks

There were other schools in attendance, too, from both primary and secondary schools. There was a poignant moment when the guest of honour, Padraig Higgins from Co Laois, spoke directly to the children.

He told them how his young son, James, was in the farmyard on his own when he was only six years old.

“He fell into a hole in the yard and was drowned. So, boys and girls, you should never be in a farmyard on your own without an adult. A farm is a dangerous place.”

Padraig read a chapter of the book to the pupils. Chatting with Padraig, he told me that he has learned to live with James’ death but that he is determined to make people aware of the dangers on the farm.

He said: “We’d only opened the hole about the size of the kitchen table a few days previously without realising the danger of it.”

I think his message to the children will most certainly have hit home and that they will think of Padraig before they wander into a farmyard.

Huge work has been done by Cork County Council with school children and Caroline and her team are continuing the programmes in conjunction with the Water Safety Council, An Garda Síochána and relevant bodies. It is the only local authority doing this pioneering work, so maybe other counties will also adopt these worthwhile initiatives. There is no doubt that the philosophy is correct to target the children in order to prevent accidents through education.

Well done to all involved.