UCD PleaseTalk’s annual candlelight vigil was held this evening outside the library to mark the campaign’s national Remembrance Day.
The vigil has become an occasion for staff and students to come together as a community in reflection, for sale remembrance and in hope. The organisers hope that the event shows those who have been affected by suicide that they are not alone. Event organiser, Zoe Forde, told the College Tribune the vigil was “especially poignant because it’s a community event, so student and staff get to gather together, which is quite rare in UCD.”
Students were joined by representatives from the chaplaincy, health centre and Students’ Union. Founding member of PleaseTalk and Arts student adviser Aisling O’Grady spoke at the event along with members of the PleaseTalk committee including current UCDSU Welfare Officer Cian Dowling and former UCDSU President Rachel Breslin. The event attracted a sizeable crowd, “We always get a really good turn out as well. People come even if they haven’t personally been affected by suicide” Forde added.
The theme of this years vigil was that of community, with Forde explaining that “it’s very much people together to support each other because when we lose someone from the college it affects everybody.”
The event lasted a short while with students placing candles on the ground around a collection of candles which read ‘PleaseTalk’ and having a quiet moment to reflect.
