This article is from page 4 of the 2014-06-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE number of Clare people who took their own life showed a marked decline last year, prompting hopes that the county may be turning the corner on the suicide epidemic.
According to official figures obtained from the Central Statistic Office (CSO), 14 Clare people, 12 males and two females, took their own lives in 2013 – giving a suicide rate of 11.9.
This shows is marked decline of the 13.7 suicide rate from the previ- ous year. The news comes on the two year anniversary of the tragic death of West Clare teenager William Winder, who passed away on June 3, 2012.
According to William’s father and founder of the William Winder Rainbow Foundation, Mark Winder, more needs to be done to keep the suicide rate in Clare in decline.
The foundation offers free information and access to councillors for Clare people effected by depression or suffering from other issues.
“It’s great to see the figures declining finally and people speaking about suicide is helping. It is my son’s second year anniversary and we’ve been dealing with that ourselves. But we had a family day last week in Lahinch.
“We see families coming up to us directly all the time and talking about suicide. That wound not have happened five years ago,” said Mark.
“Families are being broken up, people are being forced to emigrate and that has an effect. Families are suffering and the whole community are suffering.
“You can go through places now and it’s like going through a ghost town. But if you have a place to turn to and people are willing to talk, then it helps. There was nothing in Clare [for people who were feeling suicidal].
“You could get in your car and drive to Pieta House but if you are feeling suicidal, the last thing you should do is get behind the wheel. The kids don’t know where to turn.
“It happens, it’s can be a split second decision, and it is destroying people. I think they are seeing that now; they can see from the hurt [felt by the people left behind after a suicide]. I cry openly, my wife cries openly. We talk to kids and to school and we tell them. They can see the devastation in our faces.
“We saw the suicide stats last night and it’s great that they are declining but there is a lot not being taken into account. Like single vehicle accidents are not being classified as suicides even if there is a suicide note. But any decline is going in the right direction. Anything is good news. We’ve seen enough deaths in Clare. We’ve seen the devastation.
“We need to keep talking about it. We need to keep it on the forefront of people’s mind. The [Government] funding for this in non-existent. It hits me in the heart every time I see a suicide and hear of a suicide.
“You live it, you live it every day. Once you have someone in your family that died of suicide you never get away from it.”
For more information on the work of the William Winder Rainbow Foundation visit www.williamwinderrainbowfoundation.ie.