Responding to a recent death of a young Irish immigrant in Queens to suicide, the Emerald Isle Immigration Center said this is not the first time such tragedy has occurred, and that the community needs to know that help is available.

The tragic death of this young man, whose name has not been disclosed, prompted Siobhan Dennehy, executive director of the Emerald Isle, to speak out about the issue.

"Suicide deaths has touched the Irish community in a number of ways and always on the periphery," Dennehy told the Irish Voice. She said that many Irish or Irish American people have experienced suicide either in their immediate family or with a friend.

Describing it as an issue that isn't going away, Dennehy said that preventative measures must be taken to help people who are experiencing such low self-esteem or just can't cope with life anymore.

"We want people to know that we are here to help them," she said. "We know sudden death is dramatic but suicide just raises a whole hot bed of issues that are underneath the surface that affect our documented and undocumented."

Dennehy said it is of the utmost importance to make contact with the center if someone is aware of a friend or relative that may be heading in the direction of suicide.

"We are here to help," she said. "At least if they come and talk about it they will find there are many other people in the same situation. We may be just a stepping stone but we are a stepping stone in the right direction, a direction of recovery."

Elizabeth Donnelly, social worker with the Aisling Irish Community Center in Yonkers told the Irish Voice that families should watch out for warning signs.

"If a person makes any kind of statement that they are thinking of harming themselves or they are just not feeling well or things aren't going in the right direction, someone should always takes the comments seriously," she said, advising people at the receiving end of the comments to act swiftly and seek help for the emotionally unwell person.

"Some people don't take these comments seriously and things can happen," she said.

If it's an emergency and a person at home is in dire need of help, Donnelly explains that an ambulance can be called in and a "mini-mental" evaluation may be carried out on a person in their home.

Donnelly, also citing hospitals as another place to take a person if they are feeling suicidal, offers a professional ear to anyone who comes to the Aisling Center feeling down and out. "We do find that a lot of the time just by coming in and speaking to us that we can reach out to someone and point them in the right direction," she said.

Although Donnelly said that there is a certain stigma attached to "seeking help" if a person is depressed or has an addition, she said that younger Irish seem more open to the idea and she is glad of that.

Donnelly, an experienced social worker, is available Monday through Friday. People can walk in or make an appointment with the comfort of confidentiality and privacy.

Experienced psychotherapists and counselors are also available for both evening and weekend appointments, either at the center or at another location if preferred.

Call into the center at 990 McLean Avenue in Yonkers to arrange an appointment, or call at 914-237-5121/7121.

A licensed clinical social worker is available at the Emerald Isle to meet face to face with anyone who is in need of support. Laura O'Brien sees clients in both of the Emerald Isle offices.

The Queens office is located at 59-26 Woodside Avenue in Woodside; 718 478-5502. She is there on Mondays between the hours of 4-8pm.

The Bronx office of the Emerald Isle is located at 4275 Katonah Avenue; 718 324-3039. O'Brien is in the Bronx office from 4-8 p.m. each Thursday.

Initial sessions are free and subsequent sessions are by donation based on what a person can afford.