This article is from page 4 of the 2014-02-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
GAY and lesbian people in Clare are seven times more likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual people in the county. That is according to Gay Switchboard Ireland, who believe that young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people in Clare are more likely to suffer from depression, consider self harm or ever even suicide.
A total of 27 calls from Clare were logged by the Gay Switchboard last year. The real number of Clare people using the service is likely to be much higher however, as only a fraction of callers give a county of origin.
According to Eddie McGuinness, organiser of The Outing gay and lesbian matchmaking festival which took place in Lisdoonvarna this year, more openness around LGBT issues is still needed to reverse this trend, especially in rural areas.
“It is a shocking statistic but it is the reality and we have to face up to that. I think families, individuals and friends need to get better at talking about issues like this – not just about your sexuality but all the different things that can get at a person,” he said.
Thousands of LGBT flocked to Lisdoonvarna last September for the first Outing festival – which was part of the traditional Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival.
According to Eddie, events like that can prompt discussion – especially in more rural areas where open lesbian and gay couples are less common.
“I think it was a great event and something that has already had a di- rect impact.
“We received a letter after the festival from a mother who had actually read about The Outing in The Clare People . She read the story to her family and told them that ‘Clare has come of age’. She used those words,” continued Eddie.
“Two weeks later her son came out to that mother and told her that he was gay. And it was the Outing and the coverage of it that made that possible. That is a success right there.”
Gay Switchboard Ireland is open seven days a week on 01 8721055.