‘Unless you’re talking to bereaved fathers about their child, you’re not talking to them’

For many families Father’s Day is a happy occasion, but for those who have lost a child, it can be a very difficult day.

Ken Walsh’s third child Caoimhe was stillborn in 2012, after he and his wife Linda were told during the pregnancy that their daughter had Edward’s syndrome, a life-limiting condition.

"So many people have talked to me about what happened, talked to me about Linda, about the two kids and how they are, but very rarely mention Caoimhe's name," he told Róisín Ingle on the latest Róisín Meets podcast.

“I feel for other fathers who are in the same situation as me because unless you’re talking to them about their child, then you’re not talking to them.”

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After Caoimhe was born, Ken Walsh and his family were helped through their trauma by the charity Feileacáin, the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association of Ireland, which says it is important that men are encouraged to speak about their feelings about the loss of a child.

Walsh is helping to promote Féileacáin’s “Say My Name” campaign for Father’s Day, asking people not to avoid talking to bereaved parents about their loss.

[ www.feileacain.ie/ ]

To listen to the full conversation between Róisín Ingle and Ken Walsh, go to www.irishtimes.com/podcasts, iTunes, Soundcloud, or your preferred app.