Suicide prevention - Look out for each other Christmas

Christmas is a very lonely time for those who have lost family members, with the result that a great many people are not only not looking forward to the month ahead, but actually dreading it.

For them, Christmas really is an ordeal to be endured, not enjoyed. Happy memories of Christmases spent with loved ones who are no longer around are shrouded in heartbreaking sadness. The festive season brings with it a terrible sense of isolation, especially for those who have been recently bereaved.

Former Fianna Fáil Minister Mary O’Rourke was characteristically open about the subject on John Murray’s show on RTÉ radio, when she spoke about how she will feel lonely this Christmas, years after the death of her beloved husband Enda, and the death earlier this year of her nephew Brian Lenihan, the ex-Finance Minister. She will feel lonely, she said, even though she will be surrounded by the love and comfort of her children and grandchildren.