A charity to support farm families experiencing the impacts of farm accidents and traumas is to benefit from a charity cycle led by a local priest.
Fr Tomas O’Connell, PP of Pallasgreen and Templebraden wanted to mark a “roundy birthday” by cycling the Ring of Kerry.
The idea developed and now he and 9 other cyclists will tackle the 179km route later this month.
The charity to benefit is Embrace Farm – established in 2014 and now supporting 300 families across Ireland.
The charity is based in Annesgrove House in Mountrath, County Laois.
The charity offers a range of supports to farm families including children/young people who have been bereaved as a result of a farm accident or trauma or seriously injured as a result of an accident.
The organisation is supported by IFAC, agriculture focused solicitors and consultants and the HSE Office of Suicide Prevention. Full details of it’s services can be found on www.embracefarm.com
The cyclists are paying their own expenses and have been supported by the local community in Pallasgreen – especially by Michael O’Donoghue and this mighty team of 8.
Eilish Phelan will travel with the cyclists as a team support. Personalised T-Shirts for the cyclists have been sponsored by O’Dwyer Oil Products in Old Pallas.
Food for the event launch was supplied by The Pallas Bistro. To date some €1200 has been donated.
The group have set up a Go Fund Me Page at Fr Tomás and Friends Ring of Kerry. Details can be found here
On July 23rd a special Remembrance Service will be held at 8pm in Nicker Church, Pallasgreen to remember those affected by farm accidents.
Some 41 people have lost their lives on farms in counties Tipperary and Limerick and each name was read out at the Cycle launch event held at the home of Fr O’Connell in Garranmore, Pallasgreen on July 7th.
Caroline Redmond from Embrace Farm attended the event and expressed gratitude to the cyclists for choosing Embrace Farm as the beneficiary.
On Friday July 29th a special Irish Night is planned for the Idler Bar in Knockane to celebrate the completion of the cycle and the return of the cyclists. All are welcome.
