Kilkenny farm families invited to remember loved ones at Embrace FARM service
The role of women in farm families is to be celebrated to coincide with International Year of the Female Farmer.
On Sunday, June 28, Embrace FARM will host its Annual Ecumenical Remembrance Service, bringing together farm families from across Ireland to remember loved ones lost within their community, while offering a shared space for reflection and support.
Now in its 13th year, the service has become a cornerstone event for Embrace FARM, supporting families impacted by serious injury and sudden death, while honouring the lives and legacies of those lost.
As 2026 has been designated 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.
“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 loved and remembered,” Catherine Kenneally, Embrace FARM, said.
The service will take place on the last Sunday of June at 2pm in the Church of the Most Holy Rosary in Abbeyleix, and will be live streamed on the Embrace FARM Facebook Page.
To include a loved one’s name in this year’s service, call or WhatsApp 085-7709966, or email [email protected] with the name, county, year of death, and a photograph if available.