Over €14,000 raised for HOPE during Tattoo Day
OVER €14,000 was raised at a tattoo day fundraiser held in St Aengus’ Community Centre in Tallaght last Friday, in aid of local mental health service HOPE (Hold On Pain Eases).
Over 1,000 people attended the event, which included the presence of two counsellors from HOPE to help those who needed assistance, while over 200 people were tattooed on the day.
The tattoos were inked by a team led by Derek Kelly from Skinvibes Tattoo in Inchicore and there was an uplifting and positive atmosphere throughout the event, which ran from 8am until 10pm.
The event, which has been held every year for over a decade, was organised by a committee composed of Sharon Barrett, Catherine Fay, Patrick Fay, Jennifer Fay and Carol Gaffney.
Patrick Fay, who is from Castle Park, told The Echo: “It was brilliant. A lot of people that had never gotten a tattoo before got one that day.
“It was non-stop, and there were two counsellors there from HOPE who stayed there for the day with us and some people talked to them.
“A lot of people who were affected by suicide were there, and everyone was together in the queue so there were a lot of people talking.
“Some people were happy and laughing, others were crying and being comforted.
“We had a good day. We raised a few bob, and we hope that it will save lives, and the day gave comfort to people who’d lost people to suicide.”
A total of €14,080 was raised on the day, with €10,000 being from the proceeds of the tattoos and the remainder being from the sale of raffle tickets.
When asked if he had a message for the community, Patrick said: “I just want to say thanks so much.
“It means a lot to the victims of suicide, because the people left behind are always the victims.
“If people saw the impact suicide has on the people they leave behind, they probably wouldn’t do it.”
If you have been affected by the issues raised, HOPE can be contacted via phone on 089 610 5476, or by messaging the HOPE Suicide Prevention Centre Tallaght Facebook page.
