Donnellan advocates mental health officers

THE appointment of mental health liaison officers in GAA clubs would help stem the rising incidence of self-harm and suicide in the country, according to Clare hurling captain, Patrick Donnellan.

The O’Callaghan’s Mills clubman, who led Clare to Division 1 B honours over Limerick recently, has urged GAA president Liam O’Neill to facilitate the roll-out of this initiative nationwide.
Currently working as a lecturer in Limerick Institute of Technology, Patrick believes the GAA is ideally-placed to direct referrals to appropriate agencies, such as Pieta House, the suicide and self-harm prevention centre in Mungret, Limerick.
Speaking at the Ennis Darkness Into Light suicide awareness walk, which attracted over 1,100 to Lees Road at 4am on Saturday last, he pointed out this initiative would offer people easy access to a trained designated officer in clubs.
The proposal is being supported by event organiser, Tom McEvoy, who confirmed Pieta House would be delighted to enter into a collaboration with the GAA.
He said the agency is anxious to build up a strong relationship with a number of community and voluntary agencies like the GAA and noted he will be meeting with Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) advanced level facilitator, Liam Minogue, this Thursday.
Over the last year, 130 people in Clare participated in a two-day WRAP workshop to help them to look after their own mental health using the programme, as developed by Mary Ellen Copeland.
Patrick Donnellan noted everyone has access to a local GAA club, regardless of where they are living or whether they are affiliated to the club or not.
“A mental health or liaison officer could help any person with mental, psychological or other health issues that are adversely impacting on their lives that they would not like to talk about publicly. It would be great if the GAA could put that structure in place.
“The GAA is great to embrace any new ventures. If someone like GAA president Liam O’Neill brought out a new structure, local people in clubs would support it no problem.
“I am not an expert in these issues. What seems to be a problem most of the time is that people are reluctant to talk about these issues. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with a lack of knowledge about the subject. It seems that people are too afraid they will be ostracised for saying certain things about their feelings, about the way they are getting on with work or at home.
“Anything set up at local level that is based around friends and family is a good structure. Those kind of issues would come out a lot easier in this type of environment,” he believes.
“I was reading an article recently which stated suicide figures may be even more prevalent, depending on how deaths are being recorded. It is a massive issue.
“There has to be a lot of changes and a huge focus on it because ultimately it is a waste of life.
“People should reach out to people experiencing difficulties and not shun them. The easiest thing is to leave people alone and let people work through it themselves. However, a lot of times people need a hand and need assistance when they are going through a difficult time,” he added.
It is important for these people to realise there is help there for them regardless of what there issues are. Talking to them is not going to do any harm at the end of the day.