CAMPAIGNTO CUT RURAL ISOLATION
A NEW ca mpa ign to comba t socia l isola tion in rura l a rea s ha s been endorsed by Wicklow TD Pa t Ca sey, who wa rned of the risk to those who feel cut off from the community.
Deputy Ca sey a ttended the Na tiona l Ploughing Cha mpionships where the ‘How a re you toda y?’ ca mpa ign wa s la unched.
The initia tive a ims to crea te a wa reness a round the growing problem of socia l isola tion in rura l communities, both in Wicklow a nd further a field, a nd of the importa nce of checking in with rela tives a nd neighbours.
‘Despite huge a dva nces in communica tions a nd technology in recent yea rs, ma ny communities a cross the country a re more isola ted tha n ever, lea ding to a n a cute crisis in the menta l hea lth a nd well-being of people living in rura l a rea s,’ he sa id.
The Fia nna Fáil Deputy sa id tha t times ha ve cha nged a nd communities a re often not a s close-knit a s they once were.
‘Communities ha ve become disconnected a nd it’s no longer the ca se tha t everyone knows their neighbour. The problem is more exa cerba ted in rura l Irela nd, where 53 per cent of fa rmers ha ve been a ffected by suicide a nd 16 per cent of fa rming fa milies ha ve some experience of suicide. This is a crisis which is gripping the country a nd which ha s to be a ddressed urgently. While Government investment must be increa sed to properly dea l with menta l hea lth issues, this initia tive is designed to get people ta lking,’ he sa id.
He encoura ged people a cross the county to get involved in the new ca mpa ign.
‘Every rura l community in Wicklow suffers from some level of isola tion a nd I a m only too well a wa re of the menta l hea lth stra ins tha t a re out there. The fa ct there is not a countywide menta l hea lth service for young people is a pa rticula r problem tha t I wa nt to see a ddressed,’ sa id Deputy Ca sey.
‘I a m encoura ging people to a sk others ‘How Are You Toda y? To sta rt a conversa tion. To let people know tha t ta lking helps. It doesn’t cost a ny money but could lift the spirits of someone ha ving a ba d da y.’
‘I wa nt to get fa rming communities thinking a bout people in their own loca lities who ma y be lonely or depressed a nd to rea lise the difference tha t a few simple words could ma ke to them,’ he sa id.
‘ This is a sma ll step to encoura ge people to sta rt thinking a bout menta l hea lth, pa rticula rly in rura l Irela nd, a nd the importa nce of ta lking to others in their communities tha t ma y be suffering in silence.’
Wednesda y, September 28, a nnua l wea nling show a nd sa le:
750 wea nlings on offer with a n excellent tra de. Strong export dema nd with over 100 bought for live export. Prizewinners – bulls: Cha mpion of the Show owned by Tommy Greene, Hollyfort 1 BB Bull 432kg, €1,300; second prize owned by Sha y Ha yden, Ca molin 1 BB Bull 474kg, €1,300; third prize owned by Fra nk Kenna , Glencullen D18 1 BB Bull 524kg, €1,270.
Heifers: first prize owned by Sha y Ha yden, Ca molin 1 BB Hfr 382kg, €1,340; second prize owned by Sha y Ha yden, Ca molin 1 BB Hfr 422kg, €1,200; third prize owned by Ja mes Ka va na gh, Cra a nford 1 BB Hfr 352kg, €1,190.
Export wea nling bulls - €1,100-1,380 or 2.60-3.15 per kilo; feeding wea nlings bulls €850-1,350 or 2.15-2.60 per kilo; export wea nling heifers - €950-1,380 or 2.80-3.27 per kilo; feeding wea nling heifers - €720-1,150 or 2.05 -2.40 per kilo.
Sheep sa le, Thursda y, September 29:
Bigger sa le with 4200 on offer, butcher a nd fa ctory la mbs ea sier by €1/€2, a ll other cla sses simila r to la st week.
Prices: 45 Wether La mbs 51kg, €104; 20 Ewe La mbs 53kg, €120; 20 Wether La mbs 47kg, €101; 30 Wether La mbs 35kg, €84. Butcher a nd fa ctory la mbs €93-€107: store la mbs: over 35kg €77-€90, under 35kg €65-€83, ewe la mbs €85-€120, ca st ewes €50-€107, hog ewes €120-€175, older breeding ewes €85-€130, breeding ra ms €170-€550.
October Ca ttle Sa le, Sa turda y, October 1:
Bigger Sa le with 850 ca ttle a nd 80 ca lves. Very strong dema nd for beef a nd qua lity ca ttle, pla iner ca ttle meeting a slower tra de. Prices: 4 LM Blks 700kg €1590, 6 CH Blks 640kg €1350, 6 LM Blks 600kg €1340, 10 LM Blks 550kg €1290, 2 CH Hfrs 550kg €1340, 5 CH Hfrs 520kg €1160, 5 AA Hfrs 480kg €880, 5 CH Hfrs 350kg €830, Beef & Forwa rd Blks 620 - 910 over, Cont Blks 450 - 820 over, FR Store Blks 250 - 550 over, Beef Hfrs 550 - 830 over, Store Hfrs 250 - 710 over. Dry Cows: Fr Store Cows 150 under to 150 over, Cont Store Cows 150 - 450 over, Beef Cows 220 - 400 over, Cont Beef Cows 400 - 650 over.
Wea nling sa le, Frida y, September 30
187 Wea nlings on offer. Very lively tra de for a ll types of bulls, lighter pla iner heifers ha rder sold. Prices: wea nling bulls over 500 kgs €520 to €680 over €/kg, wea nling bulls over 400 kgs €470 to €625 over €/kg, wea nling bulls over 300 kgs €400 to €560 over €/kg, wea nling bulls over 200 kgs €370 to €515 over €/kg, wea nling heifers over 400 kgs €400 to €600 over €/kg, wea nling heifers over 300 kgs €370 to €400 over €/kg, wea nling heifers over 200 kgs €250 to €400 over €/kg.
Wea nling sa le, Wednesda y, September 27
A good number of ca ttle on show with a very big dema nd for both heifers a nd bulls. The weekly ca ttle sa le showed a big improvement in numbers on la st week with prices ba ck between €10-30 per hea d especia lly for pla iner types. sa mple prices: bullocks:440 kg €975 lm, 555kg €1200 bb, 625kg €1200 ch, 665kg €1225 ch, 690kg €1100 fr, 820kg €1455 he. heifers: 170kg €440 ch, 330kg €730 lm, 365kg €740 lm, 540kg €1040 ch, 586kg €1100 ch.