'Boxer' Moran talks of his struggles at launch of new strategy to reduce suicide
Athlone Minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran again spoke of his struggles with mental health, including a suicide attempt, when he helped to launch the Government’s new strategy to reduce suicide and self harm.
Boxer, who in 2017 spoke candidly about a past suicide attempt on RTÉ's The Late Late Show, told the large attendance at government buildings that he 'bottled things within myself' for a number of years before attempting suicide.
Speaking at the launch of 'Connecting for Life 2026-2035, Ireland's Strategy to Reduce Suicide and Self-Harm' 'Boxer' said: “I had suicidal thoughts and I did to try to commit suicide. I bottled that within myself for years and years until the only people who knew were my wife, my parents, my mother-in-law, and my best friend.”
“We men,” he added, “sometimes we are afraid to talk, and I say that because it took me so many years to build, within myself, the courage to speak out. I don't want a medal, I don't want anyone to praise me, or to feel sorry for me.
“But I always say that there is help and always a solution. It is not always easy, but you have to talk first. This strategy sends a huge signal, in my eyes, once it's implemented, and I know it will be, that we can help and do a lot for more people.”
In 2017, 'Boxer' opened up about his suicide attempt on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show.
He said last week that the most daunting thing I had to do that evening (prior to The Late Late Show) was coming on the drive to Dublin he had to tell his two teenage sons “that their father nearly committed suicide, what had happened, and how I could learn to go forward.”
He also paid tribute to his doctor, retired GP Dr John Rice, who he said was “instrumental” in his own development.
'Boxer' was speaking at the event alongside Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, and Chief Whip Mary Butler, when the government said
that the strategy 'will focus on strengthened crisis support in hospitals and communities, expanded community-based services, trauma-informed approaches, and improved access to support for those experiencing self-harm'. The strategy is also designed to promote open conversation and stigma reduction to encourage help-seeking.
The new ten-year strategy will set out to reduce the annual suicide toll to seven per 100,000 by 2035, with 130 fewer lives lost every year to suicide.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “We know that men are at higher risk of suicide, and I particularly want to urge any man who might benefit from counselling to avail of it. Even one suicide is one too many.”
The strategy recommends a range of actions, including better mental health supports at school level, more community care and better treatment for people in distress who seek help in emergency departments, as well as more work to reduce stigma.
Since 2012, the suicide rate among women stayed mostly stable, with a small annual decrease of about 0.3 per cent.
Mary Butler, the minister with responsibility for mental health, said “the new strategy will further enhance crisis supports by developing specialist nursing teams in our hospital emergency departments and in our communities through the national roll-out of crisis resolution teams, crisis cafes and suicide crisis assessment nurse teams”.
The Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill added that “this is about delivering real and meaningful change for people, families and communities across Ireland”.
Contacts
Samaritans are available 24 hours every day, for confidential, non-judgmental support. Freephone 116 123 anytime day or night. email jo@samaritans.ie, or visitmwww.samaritans.ie
Pieta provide a range of suicide and self-harm prevention and bereavement services. Freephone 1800 247247 anytime day or night. Text HELP to 51444 (standard message rates apply). Visit www.pieta.ie
'Text About It' is a free, anonymous, messaging support service. Text HELLO to 50808 anytime day or night. Visit www.textaboutit.ie, where a WhatsApp option is also available. Visit www.yourmentalhealth.ie for more information on how to mind your mental health, support others, and to find a support service in your area. The HSE Your Mental Health information line is a phone service you can call with information on mental health support and services and how to access them. Freephone 1800 111 888 anytime day or night.
Men can also visit www.yourmentalhealth.ie/men for information on free and accessible counselling support. For example, men can now access six free counselling sessions with MyMind, via a GP. Free, confidential telephone support for men is also now available, from Connect Counselling, seven days every week between 5pm and 9pm on 1800 577 577.