A primary school in Co. Monaghan has received a top national award for its "engaging" farm safety campaign.

Irish Rural Link has today (Monday, June 29) announced the winners of the second year of the AgriKids Farm Safety Ambassador School Programme.

The nationwide initiative brings practical, curriculum-aligned farm safety education into primary school classrooms, while strengthening links between schools, local farmers and the wider community.

A total of eight awards, including best school and best class, were presented under the programme, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

Farm safety

St Daigh’s National School, Monaghan was given the top honour of Best School in recognition of its embedded approach to farm safety education, called "The Farmyard is Not a Schoolyard".

Judges were impressed by the effectiveness of the school’s community-led learning approach which turned tragic true-life events into educational moments for children by providing hands-on opportunities to engage with farm safety practically and emotionally.

Best Class was awarded to the 3rd class pupils of Dromakeenan National School in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary.

They encouraged their schoolmates and wider community to get involved and learn more about farm safety with multiple farm safety trips and classroom talks throughout the school year.

Four pupils nationwide were also recognised as Farm Safety Ambassadors:

Sophie Alexander from Patrick’s National School, Arklow, Co. Wicklow;
Niamh Meagher from Dromakeenan National School, Roscrea, Tipperary;
Pádraig Cooper from Ballyellis National School in Gorey, Wexford;
Ryan Regan from Scoil an Chroí Ró Naofa, Castletownbere, Cork.

These awards, nominated by schoolteachers, aim to highlight pupils that reflect a dedication to raising awareness about farm safety.

Additionally, two schools were highlighted for the "Best Learning Initiative Awards".

Cloughjordan National School in Co. Tipperary was honoured for its stop motion animation farm-safety videos.

St. Patrick’s National School Arklow was once again recognised for its holistic, child-centred farm safety day, “Safe Hands on the Land”.

Awards

Minister of State for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Niall Collins congratulated the pupils and teachers of St Daigh’s National School for the school’s community-led learning approach to engaging pupils on farm safety.

"I also congratulate the classes and schools that were the winners in the individual categories, and the four pupils who received the Farm Safety Ambassadors awards.

"I would also like to thank the schools and teachers who engaged with Irish Rural Link’s Agrikids to deliver this programme, and I am urging all schools nationwide to consider participating from the start of the next school year," he said.

Schools

The awards are part the wider AgriKids Farm Safety Ambassador Programme.

Schools are offered two formats under the programme, the AgriKids Farm Safety Hour and the more immersive, flag linked Farm Safety Day, to embed farm safety into the curriculum.

Schools that earned their AgriKids Farm Safety Flag in 2026 are Ballyconnel NS, Carlow, Kilmore Central NS, Cavan and Best School winners, St. Daigh’s NS Co. Monaghan.

Irish Rural Link chief executive Brian Smyth said that the ambassador programme and awards will return next year with schools being able to sign up from August 25, 2026.

"AgriKids proves the value of dedicated, community-led education in preventing serious injuries and saving lives.

"This year's participants and award winners show how easily farm safety can be built into the school curriculum, and how children carry those lessons home, changing attitudes and behaviour in their own families and in the wider community," he said.