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.

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.

Read our 2024 Annual Report here

“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.

Left to right: Ms. Ailish O’ Niell, HSE-NOSP, Dr. James O’ Mahony, UCC, Dr. Eve Griffin, NSRF, Dr. Michelle O’Driscoll, NSRF. Ms. Kerrie Gallagher, NSRF and Dr. Claire Magner, UCD

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.

Train-the-trainer participants and facilitators May 2025, UCD

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.

Download file

This research is a call to action: preventing suicide means creating fairer, more supportive environments for everyone.

Citation: Gallagher K*, Phillips G*, Corcoran P, Platt S, McClelland H, O’Driscoll M, Griffin E. The social determinants of suicide: an umbrella review. Epidemiologic Reviews, Volume 47, Issue 1, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/epirev/mxaf004

*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

NSRF team at IASP conference – Programme
Download the NSRF team IASP programme

Blog: Impact of suicide bereavement on young people

Members of our NSRF team have co-authored a new report that highlights the support needs of young people and their families after a suicide bereavement.

Funded by HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, the report amplifies the voices of bereaved young people, parents, and the professionals who support them.

We deeply appreciate those who took part in this research and openly shared their stories and experiences with us.

Key recommendations for enhancing supports for young people and their families following suicide bereavement are summarised in the images below.

Read the Report in full


Blog: Latest Registry Report and Video

The National Self-Harm Registry Ireland is a system that records and reports information about people who visit hospital Emergency Departments for self-harm related injuries. We often refer to it as the ‘Registry’.

The Registry was established in 2000 by members of the NSRF team, working closely with our colleagues in the School of Public Health, UCC. It was set up at the request of the Department of Health and Children and is funded by HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention.

National Self-Harm Registry Ireland team 2025

It was the first Registry of its kind and is acknowledged by the World Health Organisation as a model for other countries to develop similar self-harm surveillance systems. 


The Registry aims to:

▶️ Identify rising trends and at-risk demographics
▶️ Inform the progress of research and prevention
▶️ Contribute to policy and development

Each year, we produce a report based on findings from the data gathered by the Registry.

All Registry reports are available here Registry Annual Reports, Interim Reports and CHO Reports if you would like to read them.

If you prefer, you can watch our new video to discover the findings of our latest Annual Report, covering the years 2022 and 2023.


Learn more about the findings of our latest Report

With thanks to all members of the Registry team, especially our Data Registration Officers.

NSRF Newsletter – April 2024

The 2nd edition of the NSRF Newsletter is here!

The Newsletter aims to keep you informed about our ongoing projects, and features recent research events and publications, as well as interviews with team members.

If you would like to learn more about any of our projects, publications or events, please email infonsrf@ucc.ie.

With thanks to the team for contributing content, and to Sofia and Niall for their editing and design skills.

Read our Newsletter below or click here to see previous Newsletters.

HUGG in a Mug

Yesterday, our team held a fundraising tea and coffee morning, a HUGG in a Mug Moment, with donations going to HUGG, a suicide bereavement charity which provides vital support to people navigating the loss of a loved one to suicide.

The NSRF and HUGG have been working together since 2020.

Our first collaborative project examined the demographics and profile of individuals bereaved by suicide who were attending the HUGG peer-support groups in terms of psychological wellbeing and grief experiences.

What we learned about HUGG peer-support groups

We also collaborated on Ireland’s first large-scale national study of people bereaved by suicide. This study, funded by HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, aimed to examine and understand the profile and needs of those bereaved by suicide. Over 2,400 people contributed to the survey, highlighting the need for those bereaved by suicide to tell their story and to have their voices heard.

The findings from this survey provide invaluable insight into the experiences of people bereaved and affected by suicide, the impacts on their lives and the supports received following their loss. The findings also illustrate the specific challenges unique to suicide bereavement and have important implications for support and service provision.

Read the ‘After Words’ Report

We thank Caroline, in particular, for organising a lovely morning for our team to connect, and to raise money for such a worthy cause.

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