Experts In Talks On Teens’ Mental Health Crisis

Mental health specialists, community workers and clergy have held talks to tackle a mental health crisis facing young people in a Londonderry estate.

Warnings have been sounded about the wellbeing of teenagers and people in their early 20s after a litany of tragedies in the Ballymagroarty and Hazelbank areas. Concern has also been expressed over the language used to remember the deceased through online tribute sites.

There have been huge outpourings of grief following the death of 20-year-old Conor Carlyle from Kavanagh Court, who took his own life on Saturday. He was a pal of Mark ‘Nadger’ McCann, who died by suicide two years ago.

There was also heartache late last year when Ian Forbes, who was in his early 20s and from Hazelbank, drowned in the River Foyle 18 months after his brother Robert Forbes (22) died after becoming seriously ill at a party in Rosemount.

A meeting was called by Fr Chris Ferguson from Holy Family Church in Ballymagroarty to try and deal with the situation. Fr Ferguson said: “We will continue to meet and will be asking the young people what they want in terms of support.”