Published: 18 May 2009

Schools call in therapists amid suicide cluster fear

Source: Irish Independent

By John Walshe and Stephen O'Farrell

Saturday May 16 2009

SUICIDE experts and counsellors have been drafted into schools after three girls, as young as 12, died this month -- just months after three other girls died in similar circumstances.

Two 12-year-olds and one 13-year-old died in recent weeks in a suspected "suicide cluster".

One of the six victims was still in primary school, while the rest were all at second level.

Fellow pupils are being offered counselling after it emerged that at least two of the girls knew each other personally, and the brother of one of the girls knew the sister of another.

The three most recent deaths happened in north Kildare and west Dublin, an area where three other young females also died last year.

There have been two deaths in each of Scoil Dara in Kilcock and Maynooth post primary school.

And another girl from nearby Athboy, Co Meath, died at the weekend.

There are fears of a copycat element in the deaths, as three of the girls apparently took their lives in the same manner in their own homes.

It is understood that two websites, described unofficially as 'shrines' have now been closed down.

One of them had already received 12,000 hits.

One of the girls had left a message on a social network site urging her deceased friends to look after each other "up there".

The five schools involved are shocked by the deaths and special counselling sessions have been held with parents, teachers and other students, especially those beginning their exams in two weeks' time.

Ordeal

The National Educational Psychological Service has been drafted in to help grief-stricken students cope with the ordeal.

Communities across Kildare are in huge distress and the town's mayor, Senan Griffin, said residents needed all the support they could get.

"Obviously, parents are hugely concerned and worried about their sons and daughters about what is going on," Mr Griffin said.

The tragic deaths began a year ago when a 17-year-old girl in the sixth year at Scoil Dara in Kilcock died.

Four months later, a 13-year-old girl in the same school also died.

A 17-year-old girl doing her Leaving Cert at Maynooth Post Primary School died in December last year, and a 12-year-old from the same school died in April.

There have been three deaths since the start of May.

They were a 13-year-old girl from Scoil Cois Life, Lucan; a 12-year-old from North Kildare Educate Together, Celbridge, and an 18-year-old girl from Eureka Secondary School in Kells.

Father PJ Byrne, parish priest of Kilcock, said residents had been left emotionally shattered and confused by the deaths.

"We are, as a community, trying to support each other in coming to terms with all the losses of young people," Fr Byrne said.

Resources

"I am trying to understand what forces are in the world of 12 to 18-year-olds that would lead to this?

"What resources are needed in the Maynooths and Kilcocks of this world that would help us to ensure that it will never happen again?"

Johnny Nevin, principal of the Maynooth school, said it had sought to respond to the events in a caring, sensitive and balanced manner.

The school's critical incident management plan was implemented immediately, Mr Nevin said.

Guidance counsellors and the entire teaching staff, with the ongoing support of outside counsellors, had been helping students to cope.

The North Kildare Educate Together School said it was united in grief after the recent untimely death of one its pupils.

"Our thoughts are with her family at this most difficult of times.

"We would appeal for privacy for all those concerned so that we can continue helping the children and families of our school cope with the aftermath of this terrible loss," a school spokesman added.

- John Walshe and Stephen O'Farrell