People from all over Clare gathered at glór in Ennis on Monday for the launch of the Clare Farmers Weaving Stories Together Booklet and as a free Health and Wellbeing Expo for the local farming community.
Traditional farming practices, the importance of the family farm, social isolation, and the advent of online marts are amongst the themes that have emerged in the ‘Clare Farmers Weaving Stories Together’ initiative.
The event was organised and supported by Clare County Council’s Healthy Clare, Age Friendly Clare and Creative Clare programmes in partnership with Cuimhneamh an Chláir / Clare Memories, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Clare and the HSE’s Mid-West ‘Connecting for Life’. Guest speakers on the day included Finola Colgan from Mental Health Ireland’s Farming Resilience Project, while more than 20 community, charity and State organisations hosted health and wellbeing information stands at the venue.
Launching the Clare Farmers Weaving Stories Together Booklet at glór; front left to right Jim Finn (Presenter, Clare FM’s Farm Show) and Nina Blodeau (Graphic Harvester); back left to right Finola Colgan (Mental Health Ireland’s Farming Resilience Project); Ester Blodeau (Graphic Harvester), Cllr. Joe Cooney (Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council), Paula Carroll (Cuimhneamh an Chláir), Bernadette Haugh (Senior Executive Officer, Rural Development Directorate of Clare County Council), Caroline Lynch (IFA Farm Families) and Dena McGrath (Healthy Clare Co-Ordinator). .Members of the Clare Division of An Garda Siochana pictured at the free Health and Wellbeing Expo for the local farming community.Lottie Kenny and Dan O’Connor of Clare Suicide Bereavement Support pictured in glór.Jim Finn, presenter of Clare FM and Tipp FM’s Farm Focus Show, who launched the ‘Clare Farmers Weaving Stories Together’ booklet.Catherine Kenneally from Embrace Farm at the Health and Wellbeing Expo for the local farming community.Members of the Kilfenora Weaving Stories Together team Brian McGrath, John McGrath and Maurice Harvey.Brendan Boyce (second from left) of the Rural and Community Development Directorate of Clare County Council pictured with Paddy, Brendan, Jimmy, Mike, Caroline and Kay of the Sixmilebridge Weaving Stories Together team.Therese Griffin of the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board.Paula Carroll of Cuimhneamh an Chláir addressing attendees of the ‘Weaving Stories Together’ Expo in glór.Maurice Harvey, Chair of the Clare Older People’s Council and his wife Susan.
