This article is from page 10 of the 2006-03-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
CLARE’S first sponsored walk to promote suicide awareness aims to get people talking about one of the few taboo subjects left in today’s society.
One of the organisers, Claire O’Brien, is already aware of the devastation that suicide can cause to a family. Her brother Peter died this way eight years ago. It is only in recent years that the young Ennis woman can talk openly about the tragedy.
Teaming up with her brother-inlaw Keith Molloy and niece Sasha O’Brien, she has organised a walk of awareness for Ennis on April 23.
Keith, who has lost seven Clare friends through suicide in the last two years, said the response to the walk so far had been overwhelming, giving a small indication of the number of people affected by the issue.
“It (suicide) causes so much pain. If people realised there are people they can talk to, it would make it so much easier,” Claire told The Clare People .
Sasha believes that the issue needs to be discussed more in society.
“People are afraid to talk about it,” she said.
The fourth-year student, who has encountered suicide a number of times in her young life, is now trying to raise awareness in Ennis schools through a non-uniform day. The Colaiste Mhuire student hopes to get all the schools in the county town involved.
“My hope is that people will talk about it a lot,” said Ennis-man Keith. He wants the walk to make society aware of the number of people that lose their lives to suicide every year. The organisers say that both the public and the Government need to be aware of the seriousness of the issue.
While helplines are in place across the country, all too often, callers go through to voicemail, which is not good enough, they say. More funding needs to be provided to man such services, they claim.
The only 24-hour support for potential suicide victims in Clare is the Samaritans, according to Keith.
The group will give all proceeds from the walk to the Samaritans, and hope to organise a bag-packing day and non-uniform day in the future to raise more awareness and funds for the Samaritans. A pub collection will also be held on St Patrick’s Night.
The 10km sponsored Suicide Awareness Walk will begin at 2pm sharp from The Court House in Ennis. Light refreshments will be served afterwards in the Barge Rooms, Ennis.