Meeting will deal with farm tragedies
FAMILIES or individuals in the West of Ireland affected by death or injury resulting from farm accidents, have been invited to attend a support group meeting in Tuam next week.
The initiative is part of ongoing work by the Embrace FARM group to help grieving families and friends cope with a tragedy or near-tragedy that has impacted massively on their lives.
Embrace FARM was set up in Laois in 2014 by Brian Rohan and his wife Norma, following the death of Brian’s father, Liam, in a farming accident.
The Tuam meeting will be held in the Corralea Court Hotel, Tuam, on the Friday evening of November 25 at 8pm, with Eyrecourt’s Peter Gohery, the facilitator.
Back in 2009, Peter himself was the victim of an horrific farm accident involving the PTO of a tractor, that led to him losing one of his legs as well as suffering other multiple injuries.
“I suppose because of my own personal experience, I can reach out to people whose lives have been touched by farming accidents.
“Where someone has died in a farm tragedy, it can be so hard for family and friends to try and get over this loss – through meetings like the one we’re having in Tuam next week, we can try and reach out the hand of help to those affected,” said Peter Gohery.
Two people affected by farm accidents will speak at the Tuam meeting while a bereavement councillor will also be present to talk to anyone affected by farm accidents.
Peter Gohery also said that people who came on farm accidents where someone had died or had suffered serious injury, were often also in need of help, advice and counselling.
“This is something that has emerged at our previous meetings. People who came across such farm accidents can often be severely traumatised by what they have seen and need to find a release valve to share their shock and grief,” said Peter Gohery.
He also stressed that the meeting wasn’t just for families who had suffered bereavements – there are also many people out there where injury has impacted on their lives over the years.
According to Embrace FARM, their meetings are informal with personal accounts given of families and individuals affected by serious farm accidents.
“All participants will have the opportunity during these meetings to chat to others on a one to one basis, to connect with other bereaved families, and to make new friends who can share their experience during a very difficult time of their lives,” Embrace Farm state.
Peter Gohery can be contacted on: 087-4183620 or email: [email protected]
Founders of Embrace Farm, Brian and Normal Rohan, can be contacted on: 085-7709966 or email: [email protected] or on facebook.com/embracefarmaccidents.