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	<span style="color:#000000;">Up to 1,000 people who had lost loved ones to suicide joined a moving ceremony yesterday to highlight the devastating impact it has on families.</span></h2>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">People travelled from towns and villages throughout the country to attend the 10th annual Christmas Celebration of Light organised by the national suicide and bereavement charity, Console, at St Patrick&#39;s College, Maynooth.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">With music from Rebecca Storm, Liam Lawton and Niamh Kavanagh &ndash; and many others &ndash; and words from RTE newsreader Eileen Dunne and veteran broadcaster Christy Keneally, the ceremony acknowledged the pain that suicide causes, but also looked at how the bereaved can get their lives back together.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">The moving, two-hour event begun in the dimly lit environs of the College Chapel before being bathed in the light of candles given to each attendee.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">Despite its location in a bastion of Catholic Ireland, the event was informed by a general sense of spiritualism rather than conventional religion. It was one of six Celebration of Light events held throughout the country, with smaller events being held in Galway, Limerick, Wexford, Tipperary and Mayo.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">&quot;Suicide is not like any other death,&quot; Console chief executive Paul Kelly told the&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1em;">Irish Inde</span><span style="font-size: 1em;">pendent</span>.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">&quot;It has the element of choice that makes it so difficult for their families to accept. People are left asking themselves if they could have done more. It tears lives apart.&quot;</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size: 1em;">Mr K</span><span style="font-size: 1em;">elly</span>&nbsp;was inspired to launch Console following the suicide of his sister.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">&quot;Preventing suicide is crucialbut so too is providing support for those who are left behind and have so many questions that can never be answered. The Celebration of Light tries to let people know that they are not alone, especially at Christmas which can be the toughest time of year to cope. There are so many others who know how they are feeling and are experiencing a similar sort of pain,&quot; he said.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">More than 500 people reportedly took their own lives in Ireland last year, but Console says the actual figure is much higher.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">&quot;Cases come before the Coroners&#39; Court all the time that are not recorded as suicide, but are in reality,&quot; Mr Kelly said.</span></p>
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		<span style="color:#000000;">A further Celebration of Light will be held in Cork on Sunday.</span></p>
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		<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/light-in-the-dark-families-of-suicide-victims-gather-to-honour-loved-ones-29800729.html"><span style="color:#000000;">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/light-in-the-dark-families-of-suicide-victims-gather-to-honour-loved-ones-29800729.html</span></a></p>
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