Tommy Tiernan officially opens Samaritans of Newry & Dundalk's renovated branch!

For over a year, our branch has been undertaking the difficult task of fundraising, submitting planning applications and extensive building work in order to create a new, comfortable and accessible building for our volunteers and more importantly, callers to our branch.

Samaritans are best known for the vital support given to callers on its 24-hour telephone service and volunteers can also offer support by SMS, email and face-to-face in our branch.

The newly renovated branch at St. Colman’s Park will allow us to offer mental health awareness training to local businesses, schools and groups in the South Armagh, Dundalk, Newry and South Down regions.

Eileen Campbell, the Director of Samaritans in Newry has said: “Newry & Dundalk Samaritans offer round-the-clock emotional support to anyone who is struggling to cope with whatever it is that life has thrown at them.”

“We are delighted to welcome Tommy Tiernan to Newry today for the official opening of our new training room and renovated centre. A hugely popular actor, writer and comedian Tommy has spoken openly about his own mental health and at the Samaritans, we believe that talking about these issues can help end the stigma and hopefully, reduce incidents of suicide and self-harm.”

Tommy has spoken about his own mental health issues and told a captivated Newry audience about how his own family has been touched by suicide.

The Samaritans of Newry & Dundalk has been operating since 1973 and is the only cross-border branch within the UK & Ireland. One of 201 branches across these islands, we have over 100 volunteers who offer emotional support to thousands of people each month.

Across the organisation as a whole, the Samaritans receive around 5.7million contacts each year, meaning somebody contacts us every 6 seconds.

You don’t have to be suicidal to call Samaritans. Whatever you’re going through, call us any time from any phone on 116 123 (this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find details of your nearest branch.