Connacht Tribune
Refusing to let the bullies win
A young Galwegian has lifted the lid on his years of childhood trauma, as bullying forced him to quit secondary school altogether just three weeks after starting – taking him to the brink of suicide when he was just 14.
Chris Sherlock is now building a career for himself as a broadcaster, hosting his Guaranteed Irish show on Flirt FM 101.3, the licensed student radio station at NUIG, every Wednesday.
But to get there, he had to overcome repeated bullying during his First Year at second level; that forced him to leave the school and work towards his Junior Cert with a tutor – until Government cutbacks removed that facility, and left him without the chance to sit the state exam.
He has now contributed his story to a new Galway-published book, Mental Health for Millennials, which is designed to put the spotlight on mental health – particularly among millennials.
The Galway city native doesn’t want to identify the school he attended, but he chronicles in harrowing detail the attacks on him as a new First Year that derailed his first stab at education – within three weeks of starting.
The then-thirteen year old spoke with teen psychologists and therapist – but his sense of despair only seemed to get worse as time rolled on.
“The therapist told me to go for a walk when my anxiety overwhelmed me, and one day, I found myself right to the edge of the Galway Canal,” he says.
“As I stared into its cold waters, I barely recognized my reflection. I felt empty, hopeless and helpless with added feelings of disappointing and embarrassing my parents So much so, suicide seemed a good idea.
“Luckily, two friends saw me and came over. Everyone knew what had happened at that point.
“Instead of asking why I was so dangerously close to the edge of the canal, they asked if I wanted to walk back with them and play videogames. A simple kindness, really, but enough to make me feel connected and accepted.”
He credits the Youth Advocacy Service in the Galway City Partnership with helping him to find his career path at a relaxed pace.
“I think it is essential for people also to know that taking medication to help with anxiety and depression was a tool I used during my teen years as well.
“There is a stigma around taking medication, but I’d rather see people heal than contemplate suicide. Never let medication rule you. Take charge, if necessary. Today, I have learned to trust people again. It has taken time and effort, but the life I now enjoy has been worth it.”
Chris Sherlock tells his story in Mental Health for Millennials, the fourth of seven volumes, edited by Dr. Niall MacGiolla Bhuí and Dr. Phil Noone, dealing with topic such as death, grief, suicide, sexuality, depression and more. It is published by Book Hub Publishing based in Athenry, and is available from Charlie Byrne’s Book Shop in Galway or via www.bookhubpublishing.com
Chris Sherlock On The Wireless goes out on Wednesdays at 4pm, Flirt FM 101.3. Interviews from the show are on the Chris Sherlock On The Wireless Podcast which is available on Spotify, Mixcloud and Apple Podcasts.
The full version of this article appeared in the Connacht Tribune edition of March 26 2021.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
