Tullamore farmer, Enda, stars in TV ad
Co. Offaly native Enda Bracken has been chosen to feature in a nationwide television, press and online advertising campaign by national electricity grid operator, EirGrid. The Tullamore farmer can be seen tending his herd in the ad, which is being broadcast on RTE, Virgin Media, Sky and Channel 4 as well as headlining the EirGrid Group website.
Picture: Tullamore farmer, Enda Bracken, in a clip from the EirGrid advertisement.
The ad is part of EirGrid’s new Clean Energy Future campaign, which aims to educate Irish consumers on why it is so important to green the grid and highlight how everyone can step up and play their part to help deliver a cleaner, greener future.
Speaking about the campaign, Enda said: “Like many farmers, I have a very strong sense of responsibility for the land I work and it’s very important to me to protect and preserve it as much as possible. My family has hosted pylons and lines on our land for over 30 years and they’re as much a part of the farm as I am at this stage. EirGrid’s work to introduce more renewable energy into the grid is incredibly important and I was extremely proud to be asked to take part in the ad and show how we can all ‘step up’ and help them reach their 70% renewable by 2030 target.”
EirGrid has ambitious targets to ensure 70% of Ireland’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2030, reducing carbon emissions and ultimately helping to combat climate change. As a farmer, Enda is acutely aware of the importance of protecting the environment and how even minor changes in the weather can have devastating effects on the agricultural sector and he is delighted to be able to do his part by hosting vital grid infrastructure on his land.
Commenting on the Clean Energy Future campaign Mark Foley, EirGrid Group Chief Executive, said: “Ireland needs more energy, and it needs to be clean. EirGrid will play a key role in achieving this, but we need the support of the agricultural community to strengthen the grid. EirGrid values the cooperation of farmers like Enda who show that these sacrifices are not only worthwhile but manageable too.”
People can find out more about how EirGrid will integrate renewables into the grid, take a quiz to measure how green they are and discover tailored climate action tips at www.eirgrid.ie.