A new app created by a 22-year-old student from Galway aims to help combat the increasing issue of suicide in Ireland.
The app, created by physiotherapy student, Patrick Shaughnessy, is called Trust Talk and enables users to exchange messages with accredited counsellors.
It also allows users to request a call from these counsellors 365 days a year.
TrustTalk 24/7 is affiliated with Aware, the Samaritans, Bodywhys and Console.
The innovative student raised €16,000 to fund the app.
“The idea came about a year ago,” he told our brothers over at JOE.ie. “I was travelling home for Easter and the night before flying, I was informed of a lad I went to school with taking his life.
“I’d had a dream the week before of a friend thanking me for an app I’d made that helped them in a time of need, so I got thinking and it all went from there.”
“I lost a cousin when I was younger to suicide also so it really motivated me to make a change and reduce the number of suicides in Ireland each year.”
The free-to-download app is now available on the App Store and Google Play.
Main image: Patrick (right) with Leo Moran of The Saw Doctors, used with the permission of The Tuam Herald.
Hat tip: JOE.ie.
