Thank you for your support in 2025.
Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a restful break.
The NSRF Team
Merry Christmas from the NSRF
5th Early & Mid-Career Researcher Workshop
My name is Niamh and I recently spent a week with the NSRF on work experience. During this week, I attended the 5th Early & Mid-Career Researcher Workshop on Wednesday, November 12th. It was an immersive, all day online event.
This workshop was for early and mid‐career researchers, those working in suicide, self‐harm or mental health research. Presentations were made by many and on wide-ranging topics, including Dr Ruth Melia speaking about the use of AI, to Ashweeja Gowda who spoke about dialectical behaviour therapy.
One presentation that particularly grabbed my attention was Eamonn Byrne’s overview on the professional and personal dynamics of providing prehospital care for self-harm and suicidal behaviours. It was informative and easy to follow, highlighting how important learning from experience is and how responding in the right tone and communicating effectively are vital in this field of work.
Suicide prevention in changing environments was a central theme of a lot of these presentations. Ruth Melia’s keynote lecture was comprehensive and offered those who may not work in that area of mental health a clear idea of how AI is affecting the field, and how its impact will only expand as the world becomes increasingly technologically advanced.
The workshop offered an engaging learning experience with ample time for discussion. Sessions were designed to be highly interactive, encouraging participants to share their thoughts, ask questions, and reflect on the topics being explored. This dynamic format helped deepen understanding in a wide range of different areas.
Overall, the Workshop was a very insightful event. From thought-provoking keynote lectures to quickfire presentations that showcased a range of research in concise, engaging formats, attendees learned about critical topics they may not have focused on in mental health research before. The workshop built connections among early and mid-career researchers, leaving participants equipped to advance their work in this important field.
By Niamh Corcoran – 4th year student
World Mental Health Day Seminar 2025
We held our annual Seminar to mark World Mental Health Day on October 10th.
This event was organised in collaboration with C-SSHRI, the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention and UCC School of Public Health and was helpd in Nano Nagle Place, Cork City.
The Dr Michael J Kelleher Memorial Lecture is always one of the highlights of our annual Seminar.
The late Dr Kelleher was the founder of the NSRF in 1994, and his committment to understanding and addressing suicide and suicidal behaviour in Ireland continues to inpsire and guide our work today.
This year we invited Prof Shekhar Saxena, Former Director, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at the WHO, to deliver the Dr Michael J Kelleher Memorial Lecture highlighting “Suicide prevention in changing environments”.
Prof Barbara Dooley delivered a Keynote address Keynote Lecture – “The 2024 Lancet Commission on Youth Mental Health: Global Priorities and Directions”.
Ms Sarah Woods, Policy Lead, Department of Health spoke about the development of Ireland’s new suicide reduction strategy.
Three Masterclasses were held in parallel, with attendees choosing from:
- Masterclass One: Implementing psychological interventions for suicidality in community mental health settings
- Masterclass Two: The social determinants of suicide
- Masterclass Three: Training and Education: Responding to Suicide and Depression within the Community
The Masterclasses were smaller in size and offered an interactive learning experience with plenty of discussion time.
For anyone who attended, a feedback form has been circulated and we will be taking all feedback on board for next year’s Seminar.
As one event finishes, we look forward to our next – an online Suicide and Self-Harm Research Workshop on November 12th, at which Dr Ruth Melia, University of Limerick, will present a keynote lecture on The Integration of AI in Suicide Research: recent advances, key challenges and future directions.
The Workshop will also feature a showcase of research from early and mid-career researchers on the topic of suicide and self-harm. All are welcome, you just need to register your attendance.
World Suicide Prevention Day 2025
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day this year, we have released two new videos highlighting a selection of our research projects.
These projects ensure that suicide and self-harm prevention activities, in Ireland and globally, are informed by high-quality research and data.
1. In collaboration with HUGG, we are pleased to share a new commentary in Nature Mental Health describing the process, learnings, and implications of the AfterWords research collaboration.
▶️ Read the paper in full here: https://rdcu.be/eDAOn
Key outcomes are outlined in the video below.
2. Our second video, highlights outcomes from the NSRF’s umbrella review of the social determinants of suicide, published in March 2025.
▶️ Read the paper in full here: social determinants of suicide: an umbrella review | Epidemiologic Reviews | Oxford Academic
Key outcomes are outlined in the video below.
NSRF Annual Report 2024
We are delighted to present our Annual Report 2024, highlighting our outputs, achievements and activities for the year.
In 2024, the NSRF was involved in a total of 34 projects in the area of suicide, self-harm and mental health, and a summary of each project is included in our report.
NSRF staff members contributed to 23 peer-review articles, eight reports and presented more than 52 lectures at local, national and international seminars and conferences, including the European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour in Rome. We were also represented on several advisory and steering groups at national and international level.
Notable events hosted by the NSRF in 2024 included:
- The World Mental Health Day Seminar held on October 10th, at which the Dr Michael J Kelleher Memorial Lecture was delivered by Professor Alexandra Pitman, University College London.
- The 4th Suicide and Self-Harm Research Workshop, organised by the C-SSHRI Network.
- The Global Leadership Exchange Comprehensive Community Suicide Prevention Match, which we co-hosted with the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, the Department of Health Ireland, the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
Two 2024 highlights were:
- The continued development of our Lived Experience Panel, whose members now contribute to all aspects of our research and practice.
- Developing, through extensive consultation with staff, governance groups and stakeholders, our new Strategic Plan, Leading Research Shaping Change 2025-2030. The Strategic Plan, launched in February 2025, will guide us on our vision over the coming years.
This report is a reflection of the dedication from every member of our team. We would like to say a big thank you to our team, and in particular to Niall and Sofia for compiling the content of the report.
“Prepare, Support, Prevent”
Train-the-Trainer Programme Expands Suicide Prevention Education Capacity Across 13 Higher Education Institutions
On May 13th and 14th, 2025, educators from across Ireland came together for a national Train-the-Trainer event with one clear goal: to support the long-term delivery of a suicide prevention module for undergraduate health and social care students.
Funded by the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) initiative, the two-day event was a major step forward in the sustainable rollout of the “Prepare, Support, Prevent” module. Designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to support people experiencing suicidal distress, the module has already been piloted in two Irish universities. Now, it’s ready to grow.
Thanks to this training programme, 13 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across Ireland now have in-house capacity to deliver the module to their students. This marks a major milestone in suicide prevention education for future healthcare professionals.
Throughout the event, trainers explored best practices in teaching sensitive topics, discussed how to tailor content to local needs, and began planning for module implementation within their own institutions. The programme also opened important conversations about how the module can be embedded in curricula and evaluated on a wider scale going forward.
The event was co-led by a multidisciplinary team from the National Suicide Research Foundation, University College Cork, University College Dublin, and the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, including Dr. Michelle O’Driscoll, Ms. Kerrie Gallagher, Dr. Eve Griffin, Ms. Ailish O’ Neill, Dr. Paul Corcoran, Prof. Ella Arensman, Dr. James O’Mahony, Dr. Claire Magner, and Prof. Eilish McAuliffe.
By investing in educators, this initiative ensures that more students – future nurses, social workers, doctors, and allied health professionals – will be better prepared to respond with empathy, skill, and confidence in the face of suicide risk.
This is a hopeful step towards a better prepared workforce and, ultimately, safer, more supportive communities.
Suicide and Self-Harm Early and Mid-Career Researchers’ Forum
Three NSRF team members attended the 9th annual Suicide and Self-Harm Early and Mid-Career Researchers’ Forum in Glasgow from the 2nd-3rd June 2025.
The annual conference, hosted by the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory, brought together researchers with a range of different expertise and experiences with a research focus on suicide and self-harm.
The forum offered the opportunity for attendees to connect, learn and be inspired by one another’s research as well as hearing from a range of invited speakers who provided insight into their work.
The presentations by the NSRF team members are listed below.
Grace Phillips
Oral Presentation: The social determinants of suicide: an umbrella review
Poster Presentation: Implementing the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality Framework (CAMS) in Student Counselling Services in Ireland
Dr Daniel O’Callaghan
Oral Presentation: A rapid review of best practice in suicide prevention for Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT) populations
Zara Harnett
Oral Presentation: Let’s Talk About Suicide: Evaluation of a brief introductory online suicide prevention training programme.
Understanding the Social Determinants of Suicide: A Call for Action
Suicide doesn’t happen in isolation. It is often influenced by the world around us — our jobs, income, housing, education, and childhood experiences.
A recent study by members of our NSRF team, and funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention, reviewed a wide range of international research to better understand how these life circumstances — also called social determinants — can affect suicide risk.
The study found that people experiencing financial stress, unemployment, or difficult early life experiences were more likely to die by suicide. Poor housing and lower levels of education also showed some links, but more high-quality research is needed in these areas.
Importantly, the study highlights that while individual support and mental health care are crucial, we also need to address the bigger picture — like tackling poverty, improving social protection, and supporting vulnerable children.
This research is a call to action: preventing suicide means creating fairer, more supportive environments for everyone.
*Kerrie Gallagher and Grace Phillips contributed equally to this work and share joint first authorship.
IASP 33rd World Congress 2025
Several team members are in Vienna this week to attend the International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP) Conference.
The conference is a unique chance for researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and advocates from around the world to come together, share ideas, learn from one another, and work on real solutions to the global public health challenge of suicide and suicidal behaviours.
Our team will be presenting their research, leading discussions, and gaining insights from fellow experts.
One highlight will be the inagural Ella Arensman Special Lecture Award, celebrating individuals whose work bridges the gap between research, policy, and practice in suicide prevention. This award ensures that Ella’s incredible legacy of mentorship and cross-sector collaboration continues to inspire the next generation of suicide prevention professionals. We congruatulate Ella on this fantastic honour.
The Conference runs from 11 – 13 June, and we have no doubt our team will return back to the office enthused and eager to share their learnings. We wish the best of luck to all presenting.
You can keep up to date with conference presentations and insights on our LinkedIn page and following #iaspvienna2025
Awareness and Skills Training for Depression, Self-harm and Suicide
Upcoming workshop in Limerick
When: 19th June
Where: City Hall, Merchants Quay, Limerick
To register (free): Eventbrite
