Young Louth soccer player organising 24-hour relay run in aid of suicide prevention charity SOSAD

Ciaran Walsh from the Avenue Road is the brains behind Strength in Numbers, a 24 hour relay taking place on December 7 at Glenmuir Park.

"It's something I've been thinking about for some time and I thought this is a good time to do it as there's been a lot of talk about mental health and suicide in Dundalk recently," the Glenmuir FC player explains.

The event is aimed at "encouraging open conversations about mental health, especially among young men who often face challenges in expressing their emotions."

Ciaran says he considers himself lucky that he can talk to is close friends about any issues he is going through but he knows that many young men don't feel they can do that for fear of being a burden.

"'I'm sick and tired of people thinking that talking about their feelings makes them weak or vulnerable. Talking about your feelings is the only way to get through your problems.

"Needing to talk about your feelings doesn't mean you have something wrong with you. It doesn't make you weak, and it is definitely nothing to be scared of.

"I'm trying to get people to realise that if they talk to people things will get easier if they have someone to support them."

This is why the idea of a 24 hour relay appealed to him.

"I can't run 24 hours by myself but if there's a team, that hour that I do run will be easier if there is someone beside me."

He has asked 22 friends to volunteer to run an hour and is delighted that his team mates at Glenmuir are lending their support.

Ciaran is also encouraging people to go along and run alongside the runners, whether it's for one lap or more, to give them their support.

"I am committed to using this event to encourage my peers to connect, support one another, and embrace openness."

The relay will get underway at 2pm on Saturday December 7, ending at 2pm on Sunday.

Ciaran is very pleased at the response to the event so far, which so far has raised nearly €2,000 on GoFundMe.

"There's still over three weeks left so I'm hoping to make the target of €3,000," he says.

The BBQ Running Club are supporting the event and Dundalk runner Israel Olatunde, who is currently training in the United States, also reached out to Ciaran offering his support.

"Glenmuir Park has generously provided the venue, and we've received some wonderful donations so far," says Ciaran.