‘Love/Hate’ star backs mental health campaign for men

Love/Hate star Peter Coonan may play the ultimate hardman in the hit gangland series, but in real life he is urging the nation to reach out to the men in their lives in a bid to stop suicide.

The Dublin actor said the shocking death of his childhood friend Ciaran Walsh, 28, prompted him to front a new campaign called ‘Mind Our Men’ to help prevent suicide.

Coonan, also 28, who plays volatile gangster Fran in the RTÉ drama, said his friend was one of the last people he would have expected to take his own life. “Back in 2008 Ciaran died by suicide. I will never forget it. The main emotion was I felt numb, I didn’t cry immediately. It was just the shock that this had happened.