Eight students from CBS Roscommon – Colm Kildine, Kyran Rayner, Kenneth Kedian, John Cuttle, James Costello, Oisín Stephens, Luke Glennon and Keelan Neary, made it to the finals of the Health and Safety Authority’s (HSA) Multimedia Farm Safety Competition for post-primary students, which took place on Wednesday.
At the Showcase and Awards ceremony in Dublin Castle, Colm, Kyran, Kenneth, John, James, Oisín, Luke and Keelan battled it out amongst eleven other shortlisted finalists. They reached the final with their multimedia project entitled “Think Farm Safety” which is a video showing how things can go wrong on the farm when incorrect decisions are made.
A third year student from Bailieborough Community School, Co. Cavan, Shane Farrelly, won the top prize.
The aim of the competition is to raise awareness among post-primary students of farm safety and to give a voice to young people in the national campaign to raise levels of safety on Irish farms. The project aims to harness the powerful influence that young people have to effect change in safety behaviour among their own farming families and in the wider farming community.
Speaking at the Awards Ceremony, Assistant Chief Executive of the HSA, Brian Higgisson said: “Congratulations to Colm, Kyran, Kenneth, John, James, Oisín, Luke and Keelan and all of the finalists here today whose innovative multimedia entries promote the farm safety message in new ways. Every year, farmers and their family members die on Irish farms through avoidable and preventable accidents. One hundred and six people have died in farm accidents over the past five years. This year, three people have died so far in farm accidents. Young people can influence safety behaviour in their own families and the wider community.”
Education Manager with the HSA, Joanne Harmon said, “This competition was about giving young people the opportunity to play their part in the national farm safety campaign. By working with multimedia of their choice, they produced farm safety videos, apps, animations, games and social media campaigns to add to the Authority’s on-going campaign to stop serious injuries and loss of life on Irish farms.”
The competition was open to all junior cycle and senior cycle post-primary school students. Further category awards were made in the following areas:
– Relevance to farm safety won by 5th year students from Colaiste Naomh Cormac, Kilcormac, Co. Offaly
– Artistic expression of a concept won by 1st year students from Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina, Co. Mayo
– Innovative use of technology won by Anna Doyle, Loreto College, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
– Best presentation to the Judges won by Daniel O’Gormon, St. Augustine’s School, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
– Winners received specially commissioned trophies and the Overall Winner won a Go-pro camera.
The Finalists’ multimedia entries will be used to raise awareness of farm safety.
The HSA multimedia project was carried out in partnership with Kilkenny Education Centre and Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership.