Meeting to offer people a chance to tackle the ongoing suicide problem

BY FRANCIS FARRAGHER

IFA branches and GAA clubs across the county have been invited to send representatives to a public information meeting in Balllinasloe next week on the issue of suicide.

With over 500 people losing their lives to suicide in the Republic of Ireland each year, a new group has been established in the East Galway area aimed at increasing awareness.

GELS – standing for Galway East Life Support – began just a couple of months back, with the aim of setting up a help and contact network aimed at tackling the scourge of suicide.

One of the organisers, Maura Canning of the IFA Farm Family Committee, told the Farming Tribune that the whole aim of GELS was to increase awareness of mental health problems and to remove any stigma from them.

“I suppose after such a difficult year in farming, many of us felt this Spring that many farmers were simply getting quite ‘down’ about the situation.

“The message we want to get out there is that it’s ok to feel down at times but the key thing is to talk to someone and to seek help. There is a lot of help and advice out there – it’s just a matter of accessing it,” said Maura Canning.

She issued an open invitation to IFA members, GAA members and the general public to attend next Wednesday night’s (June 26) meeting* in Gullane’s Hotel, Ballinasloe, at 7.30pm, which will be addressed by a number of guest speakers.

“I would just say to anyone interested to come along to this meeting, listen to what’s been said, ask any question they want, and take back to their homes and communities some valuable information,” said Maura Canning.

Galway IFA Chairman Michael Flynn said that the old saying about a ‘problem shared being a problem halved’ was never as important as it was today.

“We have 77 branches across the county and we are confident that our network of people can play an important role in getting the message across that there is help out there for someone who feels a bit down.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.