Suicide and GAA Why we must protect this vulnerable group
I'm a GAA lover from rural Ireland and, like so many people in this country, I have seen at first-hand the devastating impact of suicide.
I think the initiative of Dublin GAA and Suicide or Survive should be applauded. It's a big step in the right direction as it will get people talking about a subject that can be unpalatable for many.
Last year's scheme by the Gaelic Players Association when it initiated a nationwide counselling service for county players was also innovative.
The body is acutely aware that its membership is made up of a demographic considered most at risk from suicide.
Suicide can affect anyone, but it does seem to have a particular lure for young men outside the country's urban areas.
They can feel isolated and left behind. They can be starved of potential partners. Boredom can be a huge factor, as well.
But all too often, there's no obvious reason why someone might take their own life.
Last summer a former schoolmate committed suicide and even those close to him were unable to pinpoint why he would take such drastic action.
Might there have been warning signs? It's something that must haunt his family. And it's a question that many Irish families are left to ponder.
It never ceases to amaze me how prevalent suicide is. Every couple of months my mother phones me with the news that someone in the vicinity has taken their own life.
And there have been a handful of times over the years when I've gone to see Tipperary play and there's been a minute's silence before the game for a promising club player from the county who took their own life.
Suicide is never mentioned, but most of those present know the reality -- such is the effectiveness of the rural bush telegraph.
The simple action of placing the stark words "Suicide or Survive" on a piece of sports kit, just might help turn the tide.
- John Meagher
Irish Independent
