A local politician is bravely sharing her family's devastating experience with suicide to underscore the urgent need for open conversations about mental health within families. SDLP Councillor Denise Johnston, representing Mid Ulster District Council, lost her youngest son, Oisin, to suicide in September 2025 – an event she described as a complete shock, with no prior indications of his distress.
Councillor Johnston's powerful message is directed at all parents: engage with your children about their mental well-being, irrespective of whether they display any overt warning signs. She believes that despite attending suicide prevention training just days before Oisin's death, nothing in the course alerted her to his struggles. Her aim is to challenge the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, particularly given its status as the leading cause of death among men under 50 in Northern Ireland.
The latest figures from Nisra reveal a concerning trend in Northern Ireland. In 2024, there were 290 suicides registered, a significant increase from an annual average of 205 between 2014 and 2017. Specifically, the Mid Ulster Council area has seen a steady rise, from 12 suicides in 2015 to 21 in 2024. This regional increase highlights the pressing nature of the issue that Councillor Johnston is bringing to public attention.
Professor Siobhan O'Neill, Northern Ireland's Mental Health Champion, has commended Councillor Johnston's decision to speak out, noting the profound impact personal stories can have in encouraging others to seek help and normalise discussions around suicidal thoughts. Professor O'Neill stressed that such thoughts are often common, can pass, and are not always indicative of mental illness, but rather can be a reaction to life events.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the Department of Health in Northern Ireland confirmed it allocates approximately £12 million annually to suicide prevention initiatives. A spokesperson for the department reiterated the Minister's commitment to securing sustained and additional investment to fully realise the ambitions of the Mental Health Strategy, which was set out in 2021. Earlier this year, a new cross-party inquiry was established to scrutinise the funding mechanisms and effectiveness of suicide prevention services across Northern Ireland, aiming to develop more robust strategies to tackle the rising numbers.
Councillor Johnston firmly believes that current societal efforts are insufficient. She argues that tackling the increasing rates of suicide must become an immediate and top government priority, starting with a renewed commitment to effective prevention strategies. Her hope is that by sharing Oisin's story, more families will be empowered to openly discuss mental health and prevent similar tragedies.