Solas Drop in Centre This Project Has Been Funded

Solas Drop in Centre This project has been funded

by Monaghan County Council’s

Community Development Fund 2014

FREE PUBLIC FORUM ON SUICIDE PREVENTION HOSTED BY SOLAS DROP-IN CENTRE IN MONAGHAN

Solas Drop-In Centre is a local Monaghan charity providing a drop in facility, listening ear, befriending service for anyone having mental health problems. Marking World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th, Solas Drop-In Centre is delighted to present its first Suicide Prevention Public Forum on Wednesday 10th September 2014 in St. Patrick’s Hall, Monaghan. Admission is free of charge.

World Suicide Prevention Day is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world. The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health, to host World Suicide Prevention Day.

Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide and the fourth most common among those aged 15-44, according to WHO figures. Ireland ranks 4th highest in the EU in terms of deaths by suicide amongst young people; that’s according to statistics released today by the National Office for Suicide Prevention. In terms of 5 to 24 year olds, deaths by suicide were at 13.9 per 100,000 of the population in 2010 — the most recent year covered by data from the Central Statistics Office. Considering the population as a whole, Ireland has the sixth lowest rate of death by suicide in the EU.

Suicide has a number of complex and interrelated and underlying contributing factors. Mental disorders such as depression, and alcohol or drug use disorder, a history of physical or sexual abuse, a family history of suicide, loss of a loved one through death or the end of a relationship, legal or serious health problems, social isolation, poverty, and unemployment are among the many factors that can contribute to the feelings of pain and hopelessness that underlie suicide. Having access to means to kill oneself - most typically firearms, medicines and poisons - is also a risk factor.

Speakers at the event include an eclectic mix of professionals, carers and service users. Oisin McConville is a former All Ireland winning footballer for Armagh County and is now an Addiction Counsellor with Healthy Hearts Healthy Lives specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and suicide prevention. Donagh McKeown is the former Northern Sound presenter producer of All Points North. These days Donagh is a video producer. Donagh recovered from serious depression a number of years ago and continues to promote positive mental health in various media outlets.Monica Treanor is a co-founder of Solas Drop-In Centre who has endured her own personal journey and recovery from depression. Michael McGinn is a former clinical nurse manager and member of Mental Health Ireland who specialises in Personal Resilience and empowering oneself. Patricia O'Connell has been through the loss of a loved one through suicide. The night will conclude in a light hearted mode with the comedian and documentarian Kevin McAleer and music from Niall Quigley. Refreshments will also be served.

The Solas Drop in Centre, Rooskey, Monaghan was opened in 2001 following a survey carried out by the HSE which identified a need for on-going social supports following disengagement from the statutory service. The vision for Solas was to provide a listening ear service, a peer support service for people in Monaghan with mental health difficulties. Vision for Change was influential in the establishment of this project. Its recommendations were actualised in that we set out to provide an inclusive supportive service with the emphasis on recovery.

Our agenda was to encourage service users to look at their experience in a more positive light, for example to empathise with their pain, yet support them towards a better circumstance through a more holistic approach incorporating education, housing, employment, counselling, empowerment. Our objective has been achieved and to date we have won many awards, e.g, Community Achievement Award “Making Monaghan a Better Place”; being esteemed as a “Centre of Excellence” by the Mental Health Commission; Tidy Towns “Community Heroes” award etc. We hosted a successful Conference on Recovery last October for World Mental Health Day. We have a daily attendance record of 18 – 20 attendees. All this work has been achieved through self-help and peer support. Our ethos is ‘Experts by Experience’. We set out to provide an inclusive supportive service with the emphasis on Recovery. This process can co-exist and complement psychiatric medication and is a conducive element in mental health treatment such as being a referral for psychiatrists.

If you would like to contact Solas Drop-In Centre directly please call 047 72930 or visit us at

The Suicide Prevention Public Forum is being funded by the Monaghan County Council. Everyone is welcome and admission is free.