February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
“I’m very sad to say there was one last week and one the week before. Both were young men from Cork. May they rest in peace,” Orla Kelleher, who heads the Aisling Irish Center on Mclean Avenue said.
One of the two men was a 39-year-old from Bantry, the other a 34-year-old from Blarney.
The double tragedy has prompted the Aisling Center to begin organizing a series of meeting and workshops aimed at dealing with the issue of suicide.
“And we have organized a Mass for the families and friends of sudden death, accident and suicide victims lost over the years in the Irish community in New York,” said Kelleher.
The Mass will take place on Friday, July 31 8 p.m. in St. Barnabas Church in Woodlawn. The church sits right on the line between Yonkers and the Bronx.
“As well as having the Mass we will be holding a series of workshops throughout the winter months, the first of which will be on suicide. We are very concerned that this could become a trend and feel something needs to be done now to tackle it before another life is lost,” said Kelleher.