Yesterday brightly coloured schoolbags were placed around the front square of TCD in Dublin.
These bags served to highlight the shockingly high number of Irish university students that die by suicide each year.
A new campaign called Send Silence Packing are the reason behind this display, wishing to raise awareness of student suicide and alerting young people to the services available for those in need.
The sad truth is that an average of 131 students die of suicide in Ireland per year, an increasing figure.
The bags will move to Athlone IT on Thursday and NUI Galway on the 14th of Galway, aiming to reach all colleges in Ireland.
This campaign is a collaboration between mental health groups pleasetalk.org, 3TS and the Union of Students in Ireland.
A huge appeal was made for those suffering to seek external help and to note that silence should never be an option.
Helpline numbers:
- Console – 1800 247 247
- Pieta House – 01 601 0000
- Aware – 1890 303 302
- Teen-Line Ireland – 1800 833 634
- Samaritans – 116 123
- Childline – 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)