Cycle Against Suicide making its way to Fermoy

Fermoy looks forward to the 2017 Cycle Against Suicide hitting the town on Wednesday of next week.

This Thursday marks day five of the event with hundreds of cyclists travelling around Ireland to raise awareness of the help and supports that are available for those battling depression, self-harm and those at risk of, or bereaved by, suicide.

The cycle began in Dublin on Sunday and travelled up the north east coast before arriving into Belfast and on to Castleblayney in Monaghan on Wednesday. It will continue across parts of Connacht and Munster over the weekend before it arrives into Fermoy on the evening of Wednesday, May 3^rd.

As part of the cycle, organisers are seeking members of the public in the wider Fermoy area to open their homes to participants of the cycle for a night, to offer them a warm meal, a chance to freshen up during their mammoth cycle and a bed for the night of May 3^rd.

Event organiser John Hennessy, said the homestay element of the cycle allows the public to lend their support to the Cycle Against Suicide project even without taking part in the cycle. He added that the homestay programme is designed to facilitate a conversation around mental health in homes and to encourage the community to raise awareness of the importance of seeking support for issues surrounding mental health.

The cycle is expected to arrive into Fermoy from Thurles in Tipperary at around 5.30pm on Wednesday evening, with organisers urging the public to come out onto Pearse Square and Thomas Kent Bridge to show their support for the participants. If you would like to help out and open your home to a cyclist for the night of May 3^rd, you can contact organiser John Hennessy at 087-4154301 or email fermoyhomestays@gmail.com.

Cllr Noel McCarthy, who is organising the welcoming event on Wednesday and hosting one of the participants, called on the public to support the cyclists. “It’s a wonderful event highlighting a very importnat issue. It would great to show the cyclists a warm Fermoy welcome with as many people turning out on Wednesday evening as possible.”

Cycle Against Suicide was started in 2012 by Irish entrepreneur Jim Breen. More than 800 people die by suicide in Ireland each year. The aim of Cycle Against Suicide is to let people know ‘It’s ok not to feel ok; and it’s absolutely ok to ask for help’.