Suicide prevention service hosts event to mark Men’s Day

Irish rugby star Jack McGrath was one of a number of men who shared their experiences of providing support, or needing support from others, at an event to mark International Men’s Day.

The event entitled ‘The Bounce of the Ball’ was hosted by Pieta House, which provides support for people who are suicidal or who self harm.

It was part of the the Pieta House ‘Mind Our Men’ campaign, which has been running since 2013 and also marked International Men’s Day.

Each speaker discussed a time in their lives when the bounce of the ball didn’t go their way and they needed support, or a time when they were a position to offer support to others.

Unanticipated life events

Chief executive of Pieta House Brian Higgins said: "Our lives are often affected by 'the bounce of the ball', the unanticipated life events that may lead to despair, or worse, self-harm or suicide.

“It’s our role in Pieta House to support those individuals who have reached that point of despair and their families to regain stability in their lives.”

Mr Higgins and the other speakers explored “how men and women can build a strong team around themselves to support one another through all life’s events, the good and the bad”.

The event last year proved to be a huge success and Pieta House has decided to make it an annual thing, Mr Higgins said.

Paddy McKenna, editor of the website Joe.ie, chaired the proceedings at the Chocolate Factory on Kings Inn Street, Dublin on Thursday night.

Pieta House was founded a decade ago by psychologist Joan Freeman. It now has over 180 therapists and dealt with 5,000 in 2014 who were either suicidal or engaging in self-harm.