The father of a "brilliant" Cavan teenager who died by suicide has urged young people to speak up on bullying.
Eden Heaslip was just 18 when his body was found on Monday, September 20.
He was remembered by friends and family during his funeral on Friday afternoon, with hundreds of people lining the streets and the churchyard in St Matthew’s Church, Drumavaddy.
Eden's father Raymond spoke at his funeral, and used the time to make a plea to young people to speak up if they see signs of or are being bullied.
He said: "I want any young people who saw this bullying happen to know they can go to the Gardaí in confidence about it.” the Anglo-Celt report.
He feels a confidential phone number could help in this regard: "There has to be something there. I would like a number made available that anyone who saw it could ring. We know people witnessed it, we saw the messages people left on social media. We want to know they can go to the Gardaí about this."
Raymond's emotional tribute to his son continued, saying: "His personality was unreal. He was so witty. Teachers would ask him a question and he would always have an answer, maybe not the right answer, but always something poetic.
"He was a talented man. Every project he did at school was done to the last. He brought home a woodwork piece and you would not get a pin between the joints. He got third prize in a Home Economic project and he was very proud of it...
“He had great hands, and a great future, but all that is gone now. It's an awful waste of a life because he had so much talent,”
If you or someone you know has been affected by the issues raised in this article please contact:
- Samaritans helpline 116 123
- Aware helpline 1800 80 48 48
- Pieta House on 1800 247 247
