Rise in suicide rate linked to Covid-19


by Jerome Hughes THERE has been a significant increase in the number of suicides in County Donegal due to mental health issues associated with Covid-19, according to the County Coroner. Dr Denis McCauley told the Donegal News: “Unfortunately, there was an increase in the number of suicides in 2023, many more than there would have […]


€11,000 raised in Donegal for youth mental health


A Christmas Trolley Dash, organised by Lidl in Donegal, has raised more than €11,000 in support of Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health. A Lidl statement said: “Now in its tenth year, the fundraising initiative received phenomenal widespread support from generous customers across Lidl’s 179 stores nationwide, with Lidl customers in County Donegal […]


Funding for mental health supports for students


MORE than €400,000 in funding for mental health supports for students at the Atlantic Technologic University (ATU) has been announced by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris today. The ATU is set to receive a €431,667 share of a €5 million allocation to assist students in higher education nationally. Minister Harris said the funding […]


Men encouraged to take small steps to improve mental health


The HSE is encouraging men to set simple, realistic and practical tasks to improve their health this Men’s Health Week 2023. The HSE together with the Men’s Health Forum Ireland and a host of other partner organisations is marking Men’s Health Week 2023 starting on Monday  June 12 and ending on June 18. This year […]


Night of music, friendship and fashion in aid of Donegal’s wellness cafés


A ‘Mental Health and the Arts Variety Concert’ is set to take place in An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny, on January 26 at 8pm. A night of song, music, friendship and fashion is expected with all proceeds on the night going to the wellness café network in Donegal. Tickets are €5 and are available at https://angrianan.com. Advertisement […]


Children prescribed anti-depressants over 1,000 times


CHILDREN in Donegal have been prescribed anti-depressants on more than 1,000 occasions over the past ten years, according to new figures. The numbers come to light amid a scandal that has engulfed the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). A major report was published in January and to date 240 families have received apologies […]


Rise in young people referred to mental health services


THERE has been a significant increase in the number of children and teenagers being referred to the mental health services in Donegal. Figures obtained by the Donegal News show that there has been a 47 per cent increase in referrals to the Donegal Child Adolescents Mental Health Services (CAMHS) last year. There was a total […]


Youth mental health waiting lists ‘extremely worrying’


WAITING lists for youth mental health in Donegal have been branded ‘extremely worrying’ as waiting times for an appointment with Jigsaw are currently up to eight weeks. Sinn Féin TD  for Donegal, Pearse Doherty, has called on the Minister to urgently engage with the service to provide a solution. Demand for the Jigsaw service in Donegal and […]


Country on verge of a mental health crisis – Dr McDaid


COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral illness, but it is not a very virulent one and we must ‘learn to live’ with this virus. That was the heartfelt message delivered this week by former Government Minister and Letterkenny GP Dr James McDaid, in a lengthy letter to An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin. Dr McDaid said that […]