WATCH: Prominent Limerick sporting figures call out misogyny and bullying

TWO of Limerick’s most prominent sporting figures have spoken of the importance of “standing up for what is right” and confronting people who are behaving in an “unacceptable or threatening manner”.

Limerick senior hurling manager John Kiely and All Star Limerick hurler Cian Lynch have urged the victims of either misogyny or bullying to speak out about their experience as “no one needs to suffer in silence”.

The hurling heroes have also expressed their belief that there is a “duty” on people across the board - be it in school, the home, or the workplace - to call out unacceptable behaviour.  

The sporting leaders were speaking following the deaths of two young people, Ashling Murphy, 23, and Eden Heaslip, 18, which have made headlines over the past fortnight. 

Primary school teacher Ashling Murphy was attacked while out running along the Grand Canal near Tullamore at 4pm on January 12 last. 

WATCH: Family and friends pay tribute to Ashling Murphy at Mary Immaculate College

The tragic death of Eden Heaslip meanwhile, has been the subject of two Prime Time programmes over the last two weeks. The Cavan teenager died after taking his own life just two weeks after his 18th birthday in September last year. His parents gave harrowing details on the flagship RTÉ current affairs programme of how their son had been subjected to years of bullying before his death.

“We have all been very much shocked and shaken by the events of the last week or two and it’s a reminder to us all that it starts at home, it starts in our own families, it starts in our classrooms, it starts in our schools, it starts in our workplaces,” said John Kiely when asked what he would say to young people in terms of calling out unacceptable behaviour- be it misogyny or bullying.

“We have to take a stand and not tolerate any sort of undermining of any person’s standing within the group whether it be in a family setting, or in a school setting or a workplace setting. Again, it starts with young people. We have to educate young people and it starts inside schools for a lot of that,” the Galbally man continued.

As principal of The Abbey School - a secondary school in Tipperary town catering for in the region of 400 teenage boys - John emphasised the importance of people who are the victims of bullying, speaking out and not keeping their struggle to themselves.

“In schools it is very difficult to help a child unless they let you know or it becomes known,” he explained, “and if it becomes known it can be very easy to help. We can start confronting these people’s behaviours and challenging them and letting them know the damage that they are doing by their behaviours whether it be online or name calling or physical abuse - whatever it might be. That intimidation, they need to understand the pain they are inflicting on others by doing that.”

He said that it is his experience “over 25 years in schools” that when somebody whose behaviour is unacceptable or threatening, is confronted and they are shown the effects of it, “you can be very much surprised by how quickly they can adjust their behaviour”. 

“And sometimes it’s just about confronting the behaviour and confronting the person whose behaviour is causing the problem because if you don’t confront the behaviour nothing will change.

“Hopefully young people will understand the real hurt that can be caused by bullying behaviour”. 

He described the tragic death of Ashling Murphy, a former student of Mary Immaculate College, as “a watershed moment”.

“Hopefully we will see some changes in behaviour but at the same time it’s going to take a cultural change and cultural changes take time,” he noted. “All  we can do is our best in our own families, in our own school settings and in our own workplaces and hopefully everybody else is doing the same thing.”

His sentiments were echoed by one of the leaders of his three-time All-Ireland winning senior side, Cian Lynch.

“We all have a massive duty, whether we are in primary school or secondary school or moving on through life, to stand up for people and stand by what is right. It goes back to the word respect and respecting each other. Looking out for one another is massive as well,” said the Patrickswell man, also a former student of Limerick’s Mary Immaculate College. 

“No one needs to suffer in silence,” said the All Star hurler who is admired by many for his free spirit and not being afraid to walk his own path in life.

 “The support is there,” he noted, “and the help is there, so please, if you are under pressure from bullying in certain aspects of your life, don’t be afraid to reach out. People want to help and people want to get you through it - there is always light at the other side. Do reach out.”

If you have been affected by the contents of this story please contact any of the following organisations:

Samaritans: 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org

Aware: 1800 80 48 48

Pieta: 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie