Donal's Mountain

Donal Walsh first came to international attention aged sixteen when he spoke out against the suicide epidemic in young people in an emotionally charged interview on television in Ireland. At the time, Donal was dying of cancer and had only a few weeks to live. Faced with leaving behind everything he held dear, he wanted others to see that death is not an answer. A letter he wrote was published in the Irish Sunday Independent where he spoke about the beauty the surrounds us in life and the importance of recognising that no matter how bad life gets, help is there. On May 12th 2013, Donal lost his battle with cancer and passed away. Here, in Donal's Mountain, his father Fionnbar Walsh tells the story of his son - and through his memories and Donal's own words, we see the boy behind the illness. From the close bonds he had with his family and friends, to the unique and inspirational outlook he had on life, we hear of how Donal came to terms with his illness in the months before his passing and how he spent his last weeks determined to open people's eyes to the wonder of life and the beauty that surrounds us all. In the months following Donal's death, the Kerry coroner reported an all time low in reported suicides in the area. This is Donal's legacy.