Meet the Team – Farm Mentors
Paddy O'Brien
Wexford Mentor One
Wexford Mentor Two
Mary Oakley
Tipperary Mentor One
Tommy Tierney
Tipperary Mentor Two
Ned Kearney
Cork Mentor One
John Murphy
Cork Mentor Two
Niamh Nolan
Project Manager
Wexford Mentor One
Wexford Mentor Two
Tipperary Mentor One
Tipperary Mentor Two
Cork Mentor One
Cork Mentor Two
Project Manager
Donal is Project Manager of the BRIDE (Biodiversity Regeneration in a Dairying Environment) Project and is also a dairy farmer in East Cork.
Michael is the chief executive officer of the Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI). Michael is an Agricultural Science graduate from UCD after which he has worked in various editorial and management roles in the Irish Farmers Journal. He was previously chief executive officer of the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association and has been a member of various farm machinery advisory groups in Ireland and Europe over a 40-year period.
Eoin is an assistant Agricultural Scientist at Wexford County Council and Project manager for the Duncannon Blue Flag Farming and Communities Scheme EIP. A part time pedigree suckler farmer in South east Wexford.
Catherine is a farmer from Tipperary and a past chair of the New Futures Farming Group in Tipperary.
Paddy is a Landscape Architect working as a Public Liaison Officer for The FarmPEAT Project. He also works as a Liaison Officer for Irish Rural Link (IRL) and in both roles is heavily engaged with Ireland’s rural landscape – both agriculture and biodiversity, the people that live within it, and education. He recently headed the ‘Love Your Wellies’ art’s competition which engaged with over 1000 schools across the country and had a reach of over half a million. Paddy is keenly focused on youth engagement and engaging with communities about the landscape conversation.
Louise is the Policy and Communications Officer with Irish Rural Link since June 2016. Louise’s work includes informing rural communities about changes to policy relevant to rural Ireland and effects people living in rural areas through print and digital media. Louise is also responsible for writing and making submissions to the relevant Government Departments and advocates for the needs of rural communities to Government and relevant agencies, while also writing press releases responding to issues that affect rural communities when they arise in the media or when new Government policies/strategies are launched.
Maura was born and reared on a suckler and sheep farm in east Galway
She has been promoting farm safety for years delivering campaigns around the country at shows, schools, and the National Ploughing and also have been working with Agri Kids.
The importance of promoting farm safety to kids through a competition like this is to create awareness and for kids to be able to see the dangers around the farm yard and to keep safe at all times.
The objectives of the project include a change in culture in terms of farm work practices, embed farm safety, health and wellbeing in knowledge transfer in discussion groups, signpost farmers and farm families to the relevant supports/services that they may require, create a permanent farm safety, health and wellbeing network by using appropriate discourse for farmers and ensuring that nobody is left behind within the farming community, highlight the importance of creating a buddy system that will tackle the issue of social isolation within the agriculture sector and give farmers an opportunity to talk to co-farmers and support each other during busy working periods.
The majority of farm fatalities/injuries on farms are avoidable and this project will highlight the importance of farm safety, health and wellbeing on family farms. Extreme pressures within the agriculture sector has led to farmers experiencing stress, anxiety, fatigue and financial pressures and this in turn can lead to an incident/fatality occurring. This Farm Safety EIP AGRI project indicates the importance of farmers looking after their own health and wellbeing and ensuring they are not risking their safety in carrying out jobs on the farm.
Farmers4Safety Managing Risk Together offers a bottom up initiative that is tailored to each region to ensure it will capture a change in farmer’s attitudes and behaviors by tackling and improving the social norms around farm safety, health and wellbeing. The 6-part time farm mentors will drive the project on the ground, highlight the different support mechanisms available to farmers and farm families, disseminate up-to date information about all farm safety, health and wellbeing matters, collaborate with farmers and farm families on the ground and tackle the issue of social isolation and collate all of their findings on the ground and discuss innovative ways that the project can address these issues/concerns that the farming communities face on the ground.
Our second Wexford mentor was brought up on a farm with a lifetime’s exposure to beef, dairy and tillage and now farms part-time following degree-level and Green Cert studies over the years. Also worked full-time in industry for 20 years. Also has a keen interest in agri-diversification.
Niamh was brought up on a dry stock and sheep farm. From growing up on a farm it has taught her the importance of good work ethic within a workplace and the significance of taking responsibility for completing a job/duty that is set out for you to do. From feeding cattle to driving the tractor to sowing a garden, she has gained many experiences with animals, land, machinery and gardening and she is still learning today.
Niamh’s previous work experiences includes research for the National Meals on Wheels Network which was supported by Irish Rural Link and commissioned by the Health Service Executive (HSE). She researched all current Meals on Wheels service providers across Ireland. Gathered each organisations information and added it to the Networks database for the mapping process. Identified gaps in services while comprehending the geographical spread of providers. Carried out several in-depth interviews while completing a Needs Analysis to highlight the need for the service but also the need for a coordinated and sustainable approach to deliver this vital service to vulnerable people.
She also was involved in the Covid-19 Community Outreach which was carried out by Irish Rural Link and The Wheel. Her role as Champion of Roscommon during the Covid-19 Pandemic focused on meeting the needs of vulnerable people in County Roscommon to ensure their comfort and safety. She created links between organisations and communities in Roscommon to ensure the safety of those who needed assistance in rural areas. She signposted people to the relevant support mechanisms that was available to them within their community.
Niamh holds a Liberal Arts Degree in English and Media and Communications in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, she also holds a Teaching English as a Foreign Language Degree (TEFL) and recently completed her Masters in Rural Futures Innovation and Planning in NUI Galway.
John lived abroad for many years but came home in 2013 to take over the family dairy farm when his parents retired. He still runs a small Friesian dairy herd with his wife, Minna and 2 young children. They diversified the farm activities to generate more income. Now they run Kildinan Preschool on the farm, as well as hosting paid placements through Social Farming Ireland, and the farm is also involved in the Bride Project agri-environment scheme. He also partners with another local farmer to offer a bale silage contracting service in his local area.
John holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Rural Resource Management as well as a Green Cert. He worked as a farm diversification and grants advisor in the UK for 2 and a half years after graduating.
Ned’s background is in dairy farming and he is currently relief milking 160 cows in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Up until 2004, he was dairy/beef farmer in Cork. The farm was also in the REPS Scheme and in 1996 he won the Waterford Foods Milk Quality Award. He then took up a position with Blackwater LEADER Development as their Rural Social Scheme (RSS) officer in 2005. During his time working on the RSS he gained a lot of experience and knowledge with low income farmers. He now owns a small farm in Dungarvan where he keeps Broodmares for thoroughbred breeding.
Tommy is based in South Tipperary and has been farming the family farm for over twenty years in partnership with his parents. He is also a qualified plumber and works part time in the family plumbing business. Tommy specialises in Regenerative Farming and Arable Farming. He has a keen interest in moving away from pesticides towards a regenerative approach to farming.
Mary has fond memories of growing up on a farm where neighbours helped each other, family and friends just rambled in to visit. This sense of community and love of farming and country life stayed with her. She has always been involved in farming in one way or another while she worked for a large agricultural organisation to later working on a dairy farm while raising her three children.
After seeing many minor accidents in her life, she has always been very conscious of the dangers around the farm, especially for children. She still firmly believes that prevention is better than cure and that children must be supervised at all times on the farmyard.
Paddy was brought up on a farm and is currently farming Calf to beef, a bit of tillage (barley) catch crop and hogget’s. He has been involved in farming most of his life as it was his father’s. Paddy has a lot of experience in changes in farming over the years.
The New Futures Farming Group in Tipperary was founded in 2006. The group focuses on learning, growing, and socialising together to enhance their farming environment while mutually learning from each other. The group holds meetings, workshops, and events to highlight the opportunities and challenges faced by farmers and farm families in Tipperary. It helps identify the educational and social needs of the farming enterprises.
The Duncannon Blue Flag farming and communities scheme is an innovative agri-environment project based in the Duncannon catchment, located in south-west Wexford, Ireland. The project is co-funded by the European Union and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine through the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) funding initiative and the project will operate through the period 2018-2021.
The BRIDE Project (Biodiversity Regeneration In a Dairying Environment) is an innovative agri-environment project based in the River Bride catchment of north-east County Cork and west Waterford, Ireland. The project is co-funded by the European Union and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine through the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) funding initiative and the project will operate through the period 2018-2023. The Project aims to design and implement a results-based approach to conserve, enhance and restore habitats in lowland intensive farmland.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the national body in Ireland with responsibility for occupational health and safety. Its role is to secure health and safety at work. It is an Irish statesponsored body, established under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 and reports to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. 33 The HSA is the national centre for information and advice to employers, employees and self-employed on all aspects of workplace health and safety. The Authority also promotes education, training, and research in the field. The appointment of the Board of the Authority is a function of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989.
Irish Rural Link (IRL) is a national network of organisations and individuals campaigning for sustainable rural development in Ireland and Europe. The network provides a structure through which rural groups and individuals, representing disadvantaged rural communities, can articulate their common needs and priorities, share their experiences and present their case to policy-makers at local, national and European Level. Central to Irish Rural Link’s current activities is the facilitation of communication and the solution of problems through networking and the sharing and adoption of best practice.
A vast range of experience in networking, communications, facilitation and community engagement make Irish Rural Link an ideal candidate to lead the communication and public relations strategy components of this project. Throughout the duration of the pilot project, IRL 32 will use its contacts with local and national media to increase the awareness of the project and its outcomes, highlighting the role of farmers in safety on their farms. Over the three decades, IRL has proven itself as a trusted organization which specializes in stakeholder engagement and facilitation. Leading projects on behalf of Bord na Mona, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, EirGrid and the Sustainable Energy Agency of Ireland, IRL has built extensive networks to call upon when disseminating information and organizing events.
Since early 2016, Irish Rural Link has been the lead partner in the delivery of the National Rural Network project on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The National Rural Network is a key component of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020; the NRN is responsible for maximising the RDP 2014-2020 and disseminating the outcomes to stakeholders and the general public as well as representing Ireland on the European Network for Rural Development. As lead partners in the NRN, IRL have worked closely with the existing 23 Operational Groups giving them an in-depth knowledge how to form operational groups and the delivery on their objectives. The previous experience of Irish Rural Link and its partners will allow them to hit the ground running when establishing the operational group and use standing relationships to maximize the project objectives.
Located less than 40km from County Tipperary, the offices of Irish Rural Link in Moate, Co Westmeath will act as the project team headquarter. All contact details will refer to this as the contact point for all interested parties. Maria Pettit will lead the project on behalf of Irish Rural Link. Maria has an extensive knowledge this knowledge will allow the project team to avoid pitfalls when communicating with local farmers.
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