Concerned About Suicide
On the 9th April Strabane Ethnic Community Association organised an evening to raise awareness about the issues surrounding suicide at Alley Theatre. Chairman of SECA Dr. Nari Babu welcomed every one. It was well attended with a mixture of ethnic and local people and few families who lost their loved ones, which was very informative and heart moving. The three speakers were excellent.
SECA representatives with guests.
Barry Mc Gale of Western Health & Social Trust said when someone dies by suicide many people are affected such as families’ friends and work colleagues.
It is important to communicate and address with the concerned person or people and never take things lightly. It’s a mental block, we should try and move the block to a different area to help but all too often no one knows where to turn to for information and support. (Barry has distributed information leaflet contact number.)
Reverend Noel presenting Barry Mc Gale with a memento.
Speaker Ann McGarrigle from Suicide Support Group who lost her son to suicide said coming here to talk and sharing her experience as a mother to bring hope and belonging to the people who lost their love ones and not to shy away from seeking help.
Vin McCullagh, playwright of ‘Why am I?’, spoke about his true story of attempts to deal with manic depression, mental illness and his personal battle in dealing with the threat of suicide. Vin offers a unique insight into the battle against mental illness which is now increasingly being diagnosed and openly discussed in society today.
SECA Chairman Dr Nari Babu presenting Ann McGarrigle with a memento.
Bobby Rao, SECA development officer, thanked the three speakers and said they were excellent in giving courage and strength to people who think it’s a stigma when they lose their loved ones to suicide.
If you need any help or support, call:
Ann McGarrigle - 02871278709 OR 07738057129
Barry McGale - 02871865127
Suicide Awareness Evening
| April 9, 2008 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
SECA will hold a suicide awareness evening on Wednesday 9th April at 7pm in The Alley Theatre.
The purpose of the evening is to inform the public of the contributory factors regarding suicide, what to do if you are concerned about someone and where to seek help if you have lost someone to suicide.
Speakers on the night will be Western Health and Social Care Trust Suicide Awareness Co-ordinator, Barry McGale and Ann McGarrigle from the North West Bereaved by Suicide Support Group.
Mr McGale explains “When someone dies by suicide many people are affected; family, friends and work colleagues but all too often no-one knows where to turn to for information and support. We hope that this evening will go some way to meeting this need.”
Bobby Rao adds “Unfortunately we have had a string of suicides in this area over the past six months and this evening is about raising awareness of the groups out there that can help. Everyone is welcome and I hope we get good support from families bereaved by suicide and the general public.”
Sad Day For SECA
The body of Hungarian Zoltan Szabo, tragically killed recently in a road accident, will be flown home to his heartbroken parents this weekend. Mr Szabo had only been in Ireland eight months and had been working with a local construction company. He lived in Sion Mills with his brother Attilia and his fiancee Monica.
Paying tribute to Mr Szabo, Bobby Rao of SECA said: “It is a very sad time for both families caught up in this terrible tragedy. Our prayers are with his family and the ethnic group has contributed to his return home.”
Zoltan’s friends and family with Bobby Rao.
Presbyterian Minister Nigel Craig along with his Hungarian wife have been working with the Hungarian community and are stunned at Mr Szabo’s death. “My wife has been working with the council for Ethnic Minorities for several years as an interpreter so she has been the go-between since Zoltan’s death. His death has come as such a shock for the Hungarian community and in particular, Zoltan’s fiancee of seven years, Monica.”
Our thoughts and sympathies are with Zoltan’s friends and family at this unhappy time.
Pohela Baishakh
| April 14, 2008 |
Poila Boishakh (Bengali: পহেলা বৈশাখ Pôhela Boishakh or পয়লা বৈশাখ Pôela Boishakh) is the first day of the Bangla Calendar. Poila Boishakh is celebrated in a festive manner in both Bangladesh and West Bengal, as well as by Bengali people in Tripura. Hence, Poila Boishakh connects all ethnic Bengalis irrespective of religious and regional differences. In Bangladesh, Poila Boishakh is a national holiday and in West Bengal it is a public holiday. It falls on April 14 or April 15 of the Gregorian calendar depending on the use of the new amended or the old Bangla calendar respectively. In Bangladesh, it is celebrated on April 14 according to the official amended calendar designed by the Bangla Academy.
Poila Boishakh is also known as Nôbobôrsho (নববর্ষ), or Bengali New Year, as it is the first day of the first month of Boishakh in the Bengali calendar. This day is a very festive time for Bengalis.
Source: Wikipedia
Vaisakhi
| April 13, 2008 |
Vaisakhi (Punjabi: ਵੈਸਾਖੀ, vaisākhī, also known as Baisakhi) is a long established harvest festival in Punjab that also has religious significance for both Sikhs[1] and Hindus.[2] It falls on the first day of the Vaisakh month in the solar Nanakshahi calendar, which corresponds to April 13 in the Gregorian calendar, except every thirty-sixth year when it falls on April 14.
Vaisakhi is one of the holiest days in Sikhism, commemorating Khalsa, i.e., the establishment of the religion in 1699; as such it also marks the Sikh New Year. It also is observed as the beginning of the new year by Hindus in West Bengal and some other regions of India.[2] The particular significance attached to the occasion shows regional variation. In Himachal Pradesh, Goddess Jwalamukhi is worshipped on Vaisakhi, while in Bihar, Sun-god Surya is honoured.[2] The festival is celebrated as Rongali Bihu in Assam, Naba Barsha in Bengal, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vishu (or Vaishakhi) in Kerala, and the Sinhalese/Tamil new year festival in Sri Lanka. Besides Punjab, Vaisakhi is widely celebrated as a harvest festival in other northern states of India, such as Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal.
Source: Wikipedia
