16.2.04
Irelandclick.com
Suicide: 13 Dead in only 6 weeks
•Teenager is found hanging from Holy Cross scaffolding
•Latest victim’s best friend took his own life just last week
•Glenbryn girl joins grim toll of the dead
•North Belfast left reeling by upsurge
SUICIDE UPSURGE SHOCKS THE CITY
Young man hangs himself from Holy Cross Church
North Belfast is in a state of shock this morning after two more suicides brought to 13 the number of people who have killed themselves in just six weeks.
The latest victim took his own life in front of hundreds of passers-by after climbing scaffolding on the spire of Holy Cross Church on Saturday evening.
Bernard Cairns climbed the scaffolding before taking off his shirt and hanging himself with it from the top of the builders’ scaffolding.
There were traumatic scenes as friends and family of the 18-year-old watched as the emergency services were called in to remove the young man’s body from the church.
The victim’s father Anthony arrived on the scene and watched as his son was lowered from the top of the church spire.
Barney Cairns had attended the funeral of his close friend, 18-year-old suicide victim Anthony O’Neill, just hours before taking his own life.
He is the latest in a group of friends to die in a suicide cluster that has devastated the close-knit Ardoyne community.
A young woman from Glenbryn also took her own life over the weekend, bringing the suicide death toll in North Belfast to 13 since the turn of the year.
Fears that the suicide scourge will continue to spread prompted local priest Fr Aidan Troy to hold a prayer service yesterday for friends of the two latest victims.
However there was anger among some of those gathered at the service. They claimed that the INLA had contributed to the young men’s deaths by targeting the friends in punishment attacks. The service had to be cut short.
Fr Troy and Fr Gary Donegan had been the first on the scene, climbing to the top of the scaffolding to administer the last rites and say prayers until the emergency services arrived.
Fr Aidan Troy said the last few days had been harrowing for the entire community, he also warned the next 24 hours are crucial.
“There is a great deal of anger in the community, the situation is very volatile.
“When emotions are running high as they are now it is very easy for young people to get caught up and swept along.
“I fear this is not the last suicide in this area, the next 24 hours are crucial.”
And Fr Troy added: “There needs to be a concerted effort on the part of all the agencies to put a stop to this. I fear this will happen again.
“All I can do at this time is listen to people and remain on the street and close to where I am needed most.”
Phil McTaggert’s son – Philip, or ‘Pip’ – was a friend of the two latest victims – he also took his own life in the grounds of Holy Cross.
The death of his son prompted Phil to start the PIPs project aimed at addressing the suicide crisis.
“This community is facing a crisis. These young men, including my own son, all come from the top streets in Ardoyne, they all grew up together and knew each other.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the Cairns family at this terrible time.
“Plans to hold an emergency public meeting this week to discuss how to break this cycle are already underway.”
Journalist:: Staff Reporter
Suicide: 13 Dead in only 6 weeks
•Teenager is found hanging from Holy Cross scaffolding
•Latest victim’s best friend took his own life just last week
•Glenbryn girl joins grim toll of the dead
•North Belfast left reeling by upsurge
SUICIDE UPSURGE SHOCKS THE CITY
Young man hangs himself from Holy Cross Church
North Belfast is in a state of shock this morning after two more suicides brought to 13 the number of people who have killed themselves in just six weeks.
The latest victim took his own life in front of hundreds of passers-by after climbing scaffolding on the spire of Holy Cross Church on Saturday evening.
Bernard Cairns climbed the scaffolding before taking off his shirt and hanging himself with it from the top of the builders’ scaffolding.
There were traumatic scenes as friends and family of the 18-year-old watched as the emergency services were called in to remove the young man’s body from the church.
The victim’s father Anthony arrived on the scene and watched as his son was lowered from the top of the church spire.
Barney Cairns had attended the funeral of his close friend, 18-year-old suicide victim Anthony O’Neill, just hours before taking his own life.
He is the latest in a group of friends to die in a suicide cluster that has devastated the close-knit Ardoyne community.
A young woman from Glenbryn also took her own life over the weekend, bringing the suicide death toll in North Belfast to 13 since the turn of the year.
Fears that the suicide scourge will continue to spread prompted local priest Fr Aidan Troy to hold a prayer service yesterday for friends of the two latest victims.
However there was anger among some of those gathered at the service. They claimed that the INLA had contributed to the young men’s deaths by targeting the friends in punishment attacks. The service had to be cut short.
Fr Troy and Fr Gary Donegan had been the first on the scene, climbing to the top of the scaffolding to administer the last rites and say prayers until the emergency services arrived.
Fr Aidan Troy said the last few days had been harrowing for the entire community, he also warned the next 24 hours are crucial.
“There is a great deal of anger in the community, the situation is very volatile.
“When emotions are running high as they are now it is very easy for young people to get caught up and swept along.
“I fear this is not the last suicide in this area, the next 24 hours are crucial.”
And Fr Troy added: “There needs to be a concerted effort on the part of all the agencies to put a stop to this. I fear this will happen again.
“All I can do at this time is listen to people and remain on the street and close to where I am needed most.”
Phil McTaggert’s son – Philip, or ‘Pip’ – was a friend of the two latest victims – he also took his own life in the grounds of Holy Cross.
The death of his son prompted Phil to start the PIPs project aimed at addressing the suicide crisis.
“This community is facing a crisis. These young men, including my own son, all come from the top streets in Ardoyne, they all grew up together and knew each other.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the Cairns family at this terrible time.
“Plans to hold an emergency public meeting this week to discuss how to break this cycle are already underway.”
Journalist:: Staff Reporter
