Teacher ends charity fundraising on a high

A YOUNG Kerry teacher based in Cork has raised over €9,000 for the charity Suicide Aware.

Primary teacher Caoimhe Galvin, 29, began her fundraising drive in March with a golf classic at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club and finished in July on a high, literally, when she succeeded in climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 5,895 metres.

A number of family friends had been touched by suicide and this prompted Caoimhe, who teaches in Cork city, to become involved with raising awareness of the issue.

She settled on the charity Suicide Aware, which is also one of the major charities of Munster Rugby.

“It is very much a Cork-Kerry charity,” said Caoimhe.

“Suicide touches all age groups in the region and the focus must be on prevention.

“The whole thing is to lift the taboo — if you are feeling depressed there is someone to talk to.”

One of the continuing initiatives by the charity is to hand out cards with contact numbers at Munster’s rugby matches.

Caoimhe who teaches infants and first class in Sunday’s Well boys’ school said a raffle of a Munster jersey for charity raised a surprisingly high sum and she praised the generosity of parents and teachers.