In this first part of the series, we look at quad safety on the farm.

Farming in Ráth Chairn, Co. Meath is dairy farmer Padraic Joyce, who operates a spring calving herd of 80 cows on a grass-based system.

When not milking cows and working on the farm, Padraic also is a hoof trimmer.

The farm has gone through renovations and continues to evolve, with a new cubicle shed and Dairymaster milking parlour being constructed currently.

This time five years ago, Padraic was out hoof trimming and got home early. He decided to go for the cows early and get finished up work for the day earlier.

Padraic let the cows in ahead of him while he drove his quad. As he came along the roadway, he heard three clicks from the quad before it seized and sent him over the handle bars, where he ended up on the ground.

Speaking about the accident, Padraic said: “A belt went in the quad and locked it up basically, which caused it to throw me over the front of it.

“The quad ended up landing on my leg, and I had also slid on my face and chest, which left me with cuts, bruises and broken teeth.

Luckily Padraic , despite his phone getting damaged, was able to make a call to his father who was around the yard to help him. His father brought Padraig to hospital, where he was told he had significant internal bleeding in his leg.

In addition, Padraic ended up getting sepsis in his leg, which resulted in him staying in hospital for a further three weeks.

He had to get a skin graft procedure carried out on his leg before he could return to work on the farm - in Padraic's words, sooner than probably most expected.

Although able to go back to work on the farm and hoof trimming, Padraic said he is left with scars and a lump on his leg with little to no feeling in it.

These remind Padraic of the accident day every morning when he wakes up.

When asked if he would have done anything different on the day, Padraic said: “It was a freak accident. I wasn’t driving at speed or anything like that.

“However, I should have been wearing a helmet - it would have saved me from the injuries I had to my face, teeth and avoid giving my head a bang that it got.”

Speaking about the use of quads and what he sees from visiting farms, Padraic said more care needs to be taken when driving one.

He said: “Despite the accident I had, we still continue to use the quad and would have always had one on the farm. It’s an important part of the farm and getting jobs done.

‘However, from my experience and seeing other people on quads, there is a disregard out there regarding the power of these machines and the danger they can bring.”

Padraic explained that though complacency can creep in, it is vital for anyone driving a quad that they do a training course on how to operate one, and wear a helmet and protective gear when driving the machines.

He added: “If you have a quad and someone else is planning on using it, it’s important for their safety and your peace of mind that they know how to drive it and have all the necessary knowledge and gear to ensure they are safe on it.

“I’m fearful of anyone using the quad on the farm here except for myself. I was lucky to come away that day and I’d hate it if had been anyone else, as it would have been hard to leave with.

“‘I don’t ever forget how lucky I was to come away alive that day.”

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