Tributes paid to Conor Cusack as others urge men to share problems

Leading GAA stars have urged men not to bottle up their problems because of the profound effect it can have on mental health.

Cork senior footballer Eoin Cadogan, who is an ambassador for suicide crisis charity Pieta House, said men needed to realise that there was nothing wrong with “opening up”. His comments come in the wake of the tragic death last Wednesday of Galway senior hurler Niall Donoghue, days before his 23rd birthday.

Mr Cadogan said the public perception was often that intercounty players had it all, “playing for their county, something they’ve dreamed of since they were young fellas, and in the prime of their health”. But the reality was they had issues to deal with the same as everyone else.