Carlow farm families encouraged to remember late loved ones at Remembrance Service
Now in its 13th year, the service has become a cornerstone event for the charity, which brings together people from across Ireland and also offers a shared space for reflection and support
Carlow farming families are being encouraged to reflect on their late loved ones at a very special event.
Taking place on Sunday, June 28, Embrace FARM’s Annual Ecumenical Remembrance Service supports families impacted by serious injury and sudden death, while honouring the lives and legacies of those lost.
Now in its 13th year, the service has become a cornerstone event for the charity, which brings together people from across Ireland and also offers a shared space for reflection and support.
With 2026 being designated as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, this years’ service will also recognise the vital and often unseen role of women within farming families and rural communities - particularly in the context of care, loss and resilience.
This role is apparent in the fact that 64% of those engaging with Embrace FARM’s supports are female. In addition, 110 women are currently part of the organisation’s dedicated Widows Support Group, highlighting both the central role women play and the unique challenges they face following loss within the farming community.
Catherine Kenneally of Embrace FARM said: “Our Remembrance Service creates a space where families can come together in understanding and support. It is a place where every name read aloud represents a life deeply loved and remembered. This year, we are particularly conscious of the role of women in farming families - as carers, supporters and often the steady force guiding families forward in the most difficult of times. Their strength and resilience are central to the farming community.”
The Ecumenical Remembrance Service will take place at 2pm on Sunday, June 28, in the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, Abbeyleix, Co Laois. It will be livestreamed on the Embrace FARM Facebook Page, enabling families nationwide to take part.
A central element of the service is the Remembrance Roll Call, where the names of loved ones are read aloud in a moving tribute. The charity is inviting families across the country to submit names for inclusion, continuing a tradition that has brought comfort to hundreds each year.
Last year, 377 names were called out, reflecting the far-reaching impact of loss within the farming community.
As a national organisation, Embrace FARM continues to support families across Ireland in the aftermath of serious injury and sudden death, providing a compassionate and understanding network grounded in shared experience.
To include a loved one in this year’s Remembrance Service, families can contact 085-7709966 or email [email protected] with the name, county, year of death and a photograph if available.