Irish farm children who don't take over the family farm often feel guilt, research finds
Research from Dublin City University suggests many young people in Ireland who leave the family farm still feel guilt about it. Researchers call for tackling succession hurdles, as over a third of farmers are aged over 65.
Many young people in Ireland who grow up on a family farm and leave to study, work or build their own lives carry a lasting sense of guilt about leaving it behind. That is the finding of research in Ireland presented in Dublin by Jack Sweeney of the FarmFaMHealth project at Dublin City University (DCU) at the SafeHabitus Conference. The event brought together government ministers, EU institutions and researchers from more than 20 countries last week.
The DCU project is led by Dr. Anna Donnla O’Hagan and Professor Siobhán O’Connor. It focuses on the "unseen and overlooked" mental health struggles of farm family members, including partners, parents and children. Researchers found that the boundaries between work and home life on a family farm are often blurred, creating particular pressures.
A lasting attachment
Sweeney stressed that the emotional bond with a family farm does not simply vanish when someone walks away. According to the DCU research, family members feel a great deal of pride in the farm, and it remains deeply integrated into their personal identity even if they work off-farm. This applies to adult children who have moved away from farming and to people who married into a farm without coming from one.
At the same time, these ties can create a "unique stress situation". Children and spouses are often the "invisible workforce" on a farm, and a shared sense of purpose builds a multi-generational bond.
The succession question
Sweeney noted that more than a third of Irish farmers are now over 65, so passing farms to the next generation cannot be ignored in 2026. In his view, succession hurdles must be tackled not only to secure the future of farms but also to ease the emotional guilt and financial anxieties of offspring who do not take over. He added that while many young people may want to return to the farm, for some it does not add up financially.
