Social Farming Ireland

05/09/2026

This week we had our fourth in-person DAFM funded Farm Health and Safety Training for Events, and it was great to see so many local farmers joining the discussion! Topics included livestock handling, animal welfare, machinery safety, slurry management, and health and wellbeing, with plenty of practical advice and shared experiences along the way.

A huge thank you to Jim Dockery from Towra Livestock Services for leading such an interactive session, and to our wonderful hosts, Shane and Gráinne Keaveney, for their warm welcome! And of course, thank you to all the farmers who attended!

📍 Our next training takes place in Athenry, Co. Galway, on Thursday, 10th September. So if you'd like to learn practical tips to improve health and safety on your farm for open days and events, be sure to book your place today!

To book, scan the QR code in the last photo or follow the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/health-and-safety-training-for-social-farming-farm-open-days-and-events-tickets-1994016680569?aff=oddtdtcreator



Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Galway Rural Development
Roscommon Leader Partnership Galway City Council Galway City Partnership Teagasc Galway/Clare Athenry Community Athenry Agricultural Show The Galway Wool Co op South West Mayo Development Company CLG Galway City Community Network

04/09/2026

Social Farming Ireland was proud to attend the second in a series of conferences hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and Dairy Women Ireland at the Tullamore Court Hotel, celebrating the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

The event also marked the launch of Women in Agriculture: Driving Change under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, a booklet produced by CAP Network Ireland to highlight and celebrate the vital contribution of women in Irish agriculture while inspiring future generation.
Read more here:
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/women-in-agriculture-booklet-launch-aims-to-inspire-future-generations/

The evening featured inspiring and thought-provoking discussions focused on practical solutions and opportunities in areas including:

Health, safety and wellbeing

Financial and business matters

Building a future where women farmers are recognised as visible partners, leaders and owners within the farming industry

A particular highlight was the speech from our very own social farmer Blatnaid Gallagher in recognition of her UN FAO IYWF 2026 100 Women Heroes award recently and the closing address by Mella Briscoe, Vice President of Dairy Women Ireland. Mella's passion for farming, combined with her heartfelt reflections on the many positives of raising a family on a farm, left attendees with a powerful message of optimism, inclusion and opportunity.

At Social Farming Ireland, we believe in the importance of creating a farming community where everyone can contribute, thrive and be recognised. It was inspiring to hear so many voices championing the role of women in shaping the future of Irish agriculture.



Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Leitrim Development Company Martin Heydon South West Mayo Development Company CLG West Limerick Resources - WLR Waterford Leader Partnership - WLP CLG Teagasc Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health Department of Justice Ireland HSE Ireland Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht

02/09/2026

We had a great day at Bantry Agricultural show despite the wet and windy conditions, with strong public attendance and excellent livestock on display.
It was great to meet local farmers and inform them about , there is a great community spirit that makes the show such a success.

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Leitrim Development Company South West Mayo Development Company CLG West Limerick Resources - WLR Waterford Leader Partnership - WLP CLG Bantry West Cork Development Partnership Teagasc Cork West Bantry Notice Board Cork County Macra Cork College of FET-Kinsale Campus

02/09/2026

📢 The deadline to have your say on the review of the Disability Act 2005 has been extended to 9 October. We're developing our own submission with input from members.

If you have views to share, there's still time to make your own too: https://rebrand.ly/xzlc2ux

01/09/2026

📣 𝐔𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 – 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲!!

The Disability Special Interest Group Annual Conference 2026 will take place on:
🗓️ 28th September 2026
⏰ 9:30am – 4:00pm
📌 TUS Thurles

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫’𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬:
“Trauma-Informed Social Care in Disability Services: Building Safety, Trust and Empowerment.”
The conference will explore the importance of rights-based, trauma-informed approaches in social care practice, particularly in supporting people with disabilities.

✨ We are thrilled to welcome 𝐃𝐫 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧, MBE as our in-person facilitator. Karen is a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist whose work in trauma, attachment and adversity has been hugely influential in shaping trauma-informed practice across services and systems.

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲.

https://socialcareireland.ie/.../disability-special.../

31/08/2026

Free On-farm Health and Safety training is taking place this Friday, Sep 4th, in County Roscommon.😃

Places still available!

Book now!
Click the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/health-and-safety-training-for-social-farming-farm-open-days-and-events-tickets-1994016680569?aff=oddtdtcreator

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Leitrim Development Company Roscommon Macra Na Feirme Teagasc Roscommon/Longford Irish Farmers' Association Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association Teagasc

27/08/2026

Its always great to host visitors on our Social farms and talk to them about our work in and for them to see the fruits of it on the ground with the farmers.
We went out West....to the farm of Grainne Moran overlooking the lakes and Clew Bay and then onto Barbara McNallys farm close to Partry! Both farmers gave a great insight into social farming to Keira Keogh TD . With her interests and experience Keira really appreciated what farms can offer people who are disadvantaged. Thanks to Keira for taking the time to visit with Deirdre our Coordinator in the Western Hub with South West Mayo Development Company CLG
Keira also got to meet some of our participants supported by Western Care Association and they were certainly delighted to meet her and show her around.
a win win for everyone involved.
Leitrim Development Company Martin Heydon Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine HSE Ireland HSE West and North West / FSS an Iarthair agus an Iarthuaiscirt Mental Health Reform Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health West Limerick Resources - WLR Waterford Leader Partnership - WLP CLG Keira Keogh TD

27/08/2026

24/08/2026

Another lovely morning of Social Farming 😁