Pictured at the opening of the new Donal Walsh rooms at Console were one of Donal’s best friends Cormac Coffey, Minister for Arts and Tourism Jimmy Deenihan, Donal’s Mother Elma Walsh and Console CEO and founder Paul Kelly. Photo by Sally MacMonagle
TWO new counselling rooms in memory of the anti-suicide campaigner, Donal Walsh, were opened at the Console building at Balloonagh on Friday.
Minister Jimmy Deenihan watched Donal’s mother, Elma, cut the ribbon on the rooms which will be aimed at counselling young people.
The Donal Walsh Rooms in the national suicide and bereavement charity Console’s Tralee centre, include favourite inspirational quotes from the Kerry teenager’s den in his house, where he would meet with friends. One of whom, Kerry U21 footballer, Cormac Coffey, was also there for the opening.
Donal’s message to young people not to take their own lives touched the nation before his death from cancer two years ago.
“We are honoured to collaborate with Console so that Donal’s work continues,” said Elma Walsh. “Through Console we are reaching out to young people of his own age who are in distress or whose lives have been touched by suicide.”
Continued below…
Pictured at the opening ceremony were, Amber Kavanagh, centre manager, Fr. Patsy Lynch, Elma Walsh, mother of Donal, Paul Kelly CEO and founder of Console, Cormac Coffey and Margaret Tierney, director of business development at Console. Photo by Sally MacMonagle
The rooms, one for teens and one for younger children, have been funded by the Donal Walsh LiveLife fund and are dedicated to furthering Donal’s message of hope to young people.
“Donal’s message that life is worth living really had an impact because he spoke from the heart,” said Paul Kelly, founder and CEO of Console.
National suicide prevention and bereavement charity Console’s premises in Tralee is Ireland’s first suicide resource centre.
Centre Manager, Amber Kavanagh, said today’s opening ceremony of Donal’s rooms had been designed around the memory of the Kerry teen.
“One of the quotes from Donal’s den we have used is ‘life is a beautiful struggle’,” said Amber.
“He believed if a teenager was in trouble a door will open and today we are opening the door on Donal’s Rooms where hope and help are always available for young people.”
Continued below…
Pictured at today’s opening ceremony were, Minister for Arts and Tourism Jimmy Deenihen, Donal’s mother Elma Walsh and Console CEO and founder Paul Kelly and one of Donal’s best friends Cormac Coffey. Photo by Sally MacMonagle
Two rooms at the Tralee centre have been designed specifically around the counselling needs of young people, one room is for children aged six to ten and the other is for teenagers and young adults.
“Features such as sandboxes and toys in the children’s room and air hockey tables and other games in the teenagers’ room, will encourage young people who find it difficult to express their emotions to relax and interact with their counsellors,” said Console’s project manager Margaret Tierney.
Nationwide professional suicide prevention and bereavement charity Console offers counselling services and 24-hour helpline support to people in crisis and those bereaved by suicide (Freephone 1800 247 247).
The charity has full-time counselling centres in Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Wexford, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Athlone and Mayo as well as a recently opened service in London.
Counselling, advice and general support is available for any individual, couples, groups, families or children who have been affected by suicide.
Console can be reached at any time on freephone 1800 247 247 and many resources and useful information can be found at www.console.ie.
