Tag Archives: Samaritans

AN Ennis family’s home is set to make things merry and bright this festive season – and all in the name of a very worthy cause. For the seventh year in a row the home of Gerry and Carmel Keane in Ashfield Park has been donned from top to toe with a dazzling array of Christmas lights to raise money for charity. Over the years the Keane family’s stunning festive displays have raised funds for a variety of organisations, with people who visit encouraged to leave a donation in a secure box outside of the home on the Gort Road. This year the family have chosen the Samaritans as their chosen charity with all funds raised going to the worthy cause. The Christmas lights will be officially lit this Friday at 6pm with Gerry telling us he is really looking forward helping to bring some festive cheer. He reveals that the energy crisis and rising electricity costs meant that this …

VOLUNTEERS from the Samaritans Festival Branch will be at Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival from September 16-18 to offer emotional support to anyone in need. The Lisdoonvarna Festival began 160 years ago when visiting gentry came to take the waters at the spa and looked to match their unmarried children with suitable partners. Now known as the Matchmaking Festival, the event offers music, dancing and daily matchmaking sessions for hopeful singletons. Thousands of people are expected to attend the festival following a two-year absence because of Covid restrictions, but for some the weekend may be challenging. Volunteers from Samaritans Festival Branch, who come from all branches in the country, will be available from September 16 to 18, to anyone who wants to talk. Samaritan Festival Director Tony Leech believes that this year more than ever it is important that people have a chance to talk about their feelings following the difficulties they may have had to cope with during the past two …

AN Ennis soccer club has kicked off a new initiative with the goal of highlighting the services of the Samaritans in Clare. Fair Green Celtic Football Club have teamed up with the Samaritans of Ennis and Clare in a project which is thought to be a first for any team in the Clare District Soccer League, and they are hoping that others will follow their lead. Part of the initiative sees the phone number to contact the Samaritans printed on the jerseys of the club’s players as a reminder that there is support out there for anybody who needs help. A portion of all money raised from club fundraising has also been pledged to the Samaritans, including from a planned charity match with Ennis’s Soccer Sisters on St Stephen’s Day. Team manager Richie O’Grady explains that when he and club chairman Declan Ryan first discussed the idea of setting up a new club in Ennis they wanted it to be …

THE Clare branch of the Samaritans is planning a range of events during the month of July. On July 24 its volunteers will be having a 7km Talk To Us Walk around Ennis, promoting awareness of what the charity offers. Samaritans Ennis and Clare Branch Director, Margaret MacMahon said, “We’re looking forward to spreading the word about Talk to Us in person this July. “Now that the pandemic restrictions have lifted, our volunteers will be walking 7 km around Ennis at 7pm on 24/7 (July 24) to make sure people know that we are always available 24/7. “It’s been a challenging few years and we know that many people are still facing all kinds of pressure, however, we want to remind the public that they are not alone. “It doesn’t matter how great or small the problems feel, our volunteers are here at any time of day or night, whatever they are facing.” The volunteers will be raising awareness of …

PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina visited the local branch of the Samaritans on the Kilrush Road in Ennis last week, as it celebrated its 40th anniversary. The Samaritans provides confidential emotional support to people experiencing feelings of distress and despair, including feelings that may lead to suicide. The current local director Margaret McMahon said Gardai had been at the branch well in advance of the visit, and around the Tuesday of the week before the Presidential visit it had been confirmed he would be coming. On the day he presented certificates to two of the longest serving volunteers. “One of them, Teresa, is one of the founding members and has 40 years of service, while another one, Mary, has 39 years,” said Margaret. Speaking about the visit, she said that they had shown him their premises, while they found he was familiar with the charity. “We brought him in and showed him our visitors room, the operations …

ALMOST two years of restrictions helped stem the march of Covid-19, but it undoubtedly came at a cost to many people’s emotional and mental wellbeing. Loneliness was always one of the main reasons that people picked up the phone and rang the Samaritans, and with interaction virtually banned at certain times and severely restricted at all others, it was far worse than ever between March 2020 and January 2022. Margaret McMahon is director the Clare & Ennis branch of the Samaritans and on Monday, she said the pandemic had resulted in more callers. “I think we got more callers and they were coming from a wider range of backgrounds. We would have had students who were not back at home, young people who would have been staying away and there are all the pressures that come with that in a family.” “Particularly in the beginning there would have been people who were trying to keep a long distance relationship together. …

Killaloe woman keen to highlight support she and her family have received from local organisations DONATIONS are still being made to local charities after a Killaloe woman completed a gruelling 250km triathlon in one day. The successful completion of “The Long Way In One Day” by Jade Hoynes (28) has raised €7,341 for the Samaritans and Sejare Adult Respite House. Her original target was €5,000, so she was thrilled to collect more than €2,300 extra for two charities that are close to her heart. “I would have been delighted to raise €5,000. The huge support and kind messages I have received really meant a lot to me. “It was one of the best days of my life. It was a day I will not forget. The support from my family, friends and the charities made the day so much more enjoyable and much easier.” The regular Ironman challenge is a 180 kilometre cycle, 3.8 kilometre swim, and marathon. Just to …

THE Samaritans Ireland impact report has shown very high usage the service, which in Clare answers around 1,600 calls per month. Launched on Friday, World Suicide Prevention Day, the report showed that, nationwide, the organisation answered over 560,000 calls and emails, providing over 100,000 hours of listening support. Margaret McMahon director of the Clare branch, on the Kilrush Road in Ennis, said they had to do without the services of a number of committed volunteers for periods of time last year due to Covid-19. “We had a lot of volunteers who had to cocoon so people just took extra shifts and that was challenging. So many people had to cocoon but they’re all back again, they’re great,” she said. With around 1,600 calls per month coming into the local branch, “The phones are always busy,” she said. Virtually everyone had their lifestyle turned upside down by the pandemic, sending stress levels into orbit, and this was reflected in the calls …