Three Bridges Walk: How Limerick solicitors are breaking the silence on mental health
The Solicitors Monthly Mental Health Walk. A study by Johns Hopkins University examining more than 100 professions found lawyers had one of the highest rates of suicide. Pictures: Brendan Gleeson
After losing a colleague to suicide, Limerick solicitor Jerry Twomey decided something had to change.
Now — rain, hail, or shine — dozens of legal professionals gather each month to stroll along the River Shannon on the 3.6km Three Bridges Walk in Limerick City, finding support and camaraderie.
Mr Twomey, of Frances Twomey & Company, launched the initiative a few months after the death of a Limerick solicitor. “It started because we lost a lovely young solicitor to suicide, her name was Rachael O’Shaughnessy," Mr Twomey told the .
"She was just a beautiful-hearted young lady, and she took her own life, unfortunately, late last year."
In May 2026, the profession was rocked again by the death of solicitor Bernard Patrick Cunnane. Two months later, his wife and brother joined colleagues on a memorial walk held in his honour.
Since then, Mr Twomey has encouraged members of the legal profession to reach out for support in confidence whenever they are struggling.
“We work in a very stressful profession, everything you do is always big decisions," he said.
"There’s a lot of pressure, and unfortunately, as colleagues, we have ways of putting each other under pressure. That’s how the system works, or else nothing would progress and advance."
Concerns about mental health within the legal profession are not new.
A study by Johns Hopkins University examining more than 100 professions found lawyers had one of the highest rates of suicide, while more recent research has suggested the stress of practising law can be detrimental to mental wellbeing.
“It is a very stressful profession, and anecdotally it has a very high suicide rate — it is one of the highest worldwide, not just in Ireland,” says Mr Twomey.
Each month, Mr Twomey sends an email inviting colleagues to join him for the Three Bridges Walk. Afterwards, the group gathers at a quayside cafe for what he describes as "a cuppa and a chat".
What began as a small gathering has steadily grown, with increasing numbers of legal professionals taking part. One recent walk attracted more than 40 people.
“One of the messages that we're trying to give them is it's OK to go hard on your case,” he says. "We have to fight as hard as we can for our clients, but it's also OK to be soft on each other because although we're opponents or adversaries, we're not enemies.
“There's a history in this country of brushing mental health issues under the carpet and pretending they're not there, and trying to project out with a mask to say that everything's OK even when it's not.
"And that dishonesty is as much to ourselves as it is to the public around us. Just to be able to identify if your mental health is poor, and then have the discipline to be able to take action on it and to be able to improve it,” he says.
Mr Twomey believes one of the biggest misconceptions around suicide is that it should not be discussed openly.
He says that some people fear that raising the subject could put the idea into somebody's head, but argues the opposite is true.
“People fear that they might be planting a seed," he said. "But the studies have shown relentlessly that the more suicide is talked about, the less it happens.
"Because what suicide does is if the thoughts get in there, then it closes off conversations with people."
Despite heavy rain, the group met as usual on the quayside on Wednesday this week.
Mr Twomey’s son, Seán is a trainee solicitor and works alongside his father. He joins him every month for the mental health walk.
“I'm very proud of him. It's not easy, there's a vulnerability to it,” says Seán.
“He’s a big man for always saying that people are always waiting to be asked. And sometimes being an asker places you in a great position.
“I've had a strong sense of that from my upbringing. He’s been a father figure, but also like a therapist in good ways,” he smiles.
“We’re social creatures at the end of the day, it's very important. Things like these [walks] stand out. We’re all a lot more than our job, but still our jobs are important to us. I think balance, if we can strive for that, is important.”
Melvyn Hanley joined the walks after learning of the death of a colleague. He says the monthly gatherings provide an opportunity to clear the head and get some fresh air.
The loss struck particularly hard, he says, as he also learned that two other people had died in similar circumstances that same weekend.
“One of my son’s friends took his own life, and a friend of mine in America did the same thing that weekend. It got me thinking I need to start looking after my own internal head,” says Mr Hanley.
“That's when I decided that I needed to make an effort. Jerry is great at encouraging us and supporting us, I'm very grateful for that. And it's nice to meet your colleagues as well and be able to have a chat."
Mr Hanley says the family discussed the loss of his son's friend openly. "We spoke about it, to mind himself, mind his friends," he says.
"I inquired as to what supports were being given to him from the law school for what happened. It was quite an open discussion, and the attitudes have thankfully changed in Ireland, it’s not buried anymore. You need to deal with things."
Solicitor Paul Naughton was the one who encouraged Mr Hanley to join the monthly walking group.
“It gets a lot of people out of their office and seeing each other face to face,” says Mr Naughton. “It builds a camaraderie.”
Mr Naughton says he would encourage others to organise similar initiatives across the country. “Anything that gets people out and meeting each other, realising that there's other human beings on the other end of the phone and emails, I think is a good idea.
"Anything where you remember to socialise is very helpful and helps you to share the load.”
On Wednesday, Deirdre Harrington and Caroline Kennelly joined the walk for the first time.
“I thought it was something good to do to get out of the office, get a bit of fresh air,” says Ms Harrington.
“The people that are here today, I talk to them on the phone. It's nice to put a face to the voice.
“Everyone in the industry is going through the same thing. It’s nice when you're on your walk and you realise that you have something in common with other people.”
Ms Kennelly says: “Nobody knows what people are going through, so it's nice to meet up and just have a chat. Some people mightn't get that all the time, so I think it's a good idea.”
Jerry Twomey has encouraged others working in the legal profession across Limerick to join them. Contact jtwomey@twomeysolicitors.ie
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