An annual charity soccer tournament held in Belfast to raise awareness of suicide is giving participants a chance to discuss their own issues with their peers.
The Ciarán Crawford Cup will take place for its fourth year running on New Year’s Eve, and is named after a young Belfast man who died in September 2021.
A former all-Ireland judo champion, Ciarán, who was 20, died a week after deciding to end his life, and following the tragic loss his close friends organised a soccer tournament on his birthday in his memory.
The now-annual event has raised over £25,000 for mental health and suicide prevention charities, and will once again take place at the Colin Glen football grounds at Blacks Road on December 31 at 9am.
This year, the funds raised will be donated to Action Mental Health, and the tournament has been launched with the help of Arran Pettifer and Taylor Steven, two players from Ciarán’s favourite local club, Cliftonville FC.
Ciarán’s friend, Ruairí McDonnell, said: “We decided to organise this tournament a number of years back for a host of reasons. It gives us an opportunity to remember Ciarán on his birthday, to come together and talk about our own issues, and to raise money for charities such as Action Mental Health – who do such great work in our communities.
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“If we can help to prevent one person going through what Ciarán did, then the tournament will have been a success.”
The north has one of the highest suicide rates in the UK and Ireland, with statistics showing 203 suicide deaths were registered in 2022, 156 of which were males.
Action Mental Health’s head of communications and fundraising, Jonathan Smyth, said: “We’d like to thank Ciarán’s friends for selecting us as their charity for the football tournament this year. Every penny raised will go towards supporting local people struggling with their mental health, helping them access the vital services they need.
“We’d like to wish everyone taking part in the Ciarán Crawford Cup 2024 the very best of luck on New Year’s Eve and extend our gratitude to all those who have and continue to donate to the event. This time of year can be particularly difficult for many people, but we would like to remind people that help is available and that, if you or someone you know is in crisis or distress, Lifeline can be contacted 24/7 on 0808 808 8000.”
Donations can be made at the event’s justgiving.com page.
