Derry Clarke opens up about his son’s suicide for the first time on television.

Tuesday 12th, 15:47pm

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Sharon McHugh
TV3 PRESS OFFICE
+3531 419 3430 / 087 922 4143
sharon.mchugh@tv3.ie
publicity@tv3.ie

Ciara Byrne
+353 1 419 3329 / 087 3199732
ciara.byrne@tv3.ie

TV3 GROUP RELEASE

IMMEDIATE: Tuesday 12th November, 2013.

Derry Clarke opens up about his son’s suicide for the first time on television.

Celebrity chef Derry Clarke appeared on Ireland AM this morning to talk about his son Andrew’s suicide for the first time on television.

Derry, an ambassador for ‘Teen-Line Ireland’, joined the founder of the organisation Maureen Bolger to raise suicide awareness in young people.

To watch the full interview, click here: http://www.tv3.ie/3player/show/184/71697/1/Ireland-AM

Ireland AM airs Monday to Friday on TV3 from 7am – 10.45am on TV3.

Top Dublin chef Derry Clarke appeared on Ireland AM this morning (Tuesday, 12th November) to urge young people to talk to someone if they are contemplating suicide. Derry and his wife Sallyanne tragically lost their 16-year-old son Andrew to suicide last year. Andrew was found unconscious in the garage of the family home on Thursday 27th December 2012 and passed away on New Year’s Eve surrounded by his loving family – including Derry, mother Sallyanne and big sister Sarah May. Derry has become an ambassador for ‘Teen-Line Ireland’ and this is the first time he has spoken about his loss on television. He joined founder of ‘Teen-Line Ireland’ Maureen Bolger to speak to presenters Mark Cagney and Anna Daly, and call for more funding to be put into suicide awareness.

“This is the first time I’ve talked about suicide openly. As you said actually Mark, it is an epidemic in Ireland. I’d like to see more done and funding and awareness like the campaign for driving over the last few years – it really worked. There’s been a blanket campaign on drinking and driving and speeding etc. and it’s really worked so I’d like to see that transferred on to suicide.”

“Like I would say to anyone contemplating a suicide, any young person especially, just to look and think for a second because it is an instance, it’s not something that’s planned actually and I agree with Maureen because we were surprised with Andrew, it’s instant. There were no warning signs.”

Derry believes that if Andrew had known there was a place he could talk to confidentially it might have made a difference.

“If Andrew had of had in his mind, Teen-Line’s number, or somewhere at hand, just an example, he could have rang them and there could have been a chance because kids, you know teenagers especially, they don’t like to talk to their parents really, let’s be honest. They might feel that they’re upsetting their parents or afraid to say what happened but like I’d say to anyone, no matter how bad you think it is, no matter how bad, there’s always someone you can talk you. You’ve got to talk to someone.”

He also believes that the period between being a child and becoming and adult is made more difficult by social media.

“It’s an inbetween; from adolescence to adulthood. It’s a weird little stage of life and also social media, there’s so much pressure on teenagers nowadays, image, looks, everything is geared against them really.”

Founder of ‘Teenline Ireland’ Maureen Bolger explained that although progress has been made further action is need. She said that the service provides a safe place for teenagers to talk to someone.

“In the last year there has been change. Schools are more open to having us in and we’re not going in there a talking about suicide. We’re going in talking about a free phone helpline. If they have no credit they can ring Teen-Line and it’s just to load off and they’re not judge; they’re listened to. We’re not a counselling service; we’re a listening and support service. If a young person rings up and we feel they may be in a need of another service, we will gently give that to them if they so wish but nothing is pushed on them and again it’s confidential.”

“All the services out there are fantastic; they just need to know about them that bit more. There needs to be another form of education within the school system. There’s a list of support services out there so we teach our young children about drugs, about sex, about everything under the sun but we cannot talk to them about if they’re feeling they have to leave [suicide].”

For further information log on to: www.teenline.ie or call 1800 833 634.

Ireland AM airs Monday to Friday on TV3 from 7am – 10.45am on TV3.

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ENDS

For further information
Ciara Byrne

Press Officer

00353 1 419 3329

00353 87 319 9732

Sharon McHugh
Head of Press & Publicity

00353 1 419 3430
00353 87 922 4143

publicity@tv3.ie
www.tv3.ie

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