THE sound of helicopters searching for bodies in the River Shannon inspired Sean Shinners to create another sound he hopes will help a Limerick volunteer group continue their role in suicide prevention.
Although he says he not a singer, the popular Kileely man has recorded his own composition, ‘Flowers on the Bridge’, with all proceeds going to the Corbett Suicide Prevention Group.
Born and raised in Kileely, Sean spent over two decades in the United States working as a chef, before returning to Limerick in January 2015.
“When I returned to Limerick 14 months ago, my wife and I were renting a house on the North Circular Road and noticed the sound of a helicopter hovering over the river in the early hours of the morning.
“I presumed it was a training exercise but, over the next couple of weeks, I noticed bunches of flowers on several of the bridges throughout the city.
“At first, it didn’t really register with me but at the end of the January the helicopter was over our house four times in one weekend.
“Four people had gone into the river in the space of three days and I found that the flowers were on the bridge again. Walking over the bridge, passing the consistent bundles of fresh flowers, knowing someone had taken their life really touched me”, he explained.
“I put pen to paper and started writing a poem but soon realised that the words were better suited to a melody.
“Now, I’m not a singer by any means but I have many talented friends who play an array of instruments so I picked up the phone to get the wheels in motion.
Murty Walsh who has been playing the guitar for over 50 years and Mickey Dunn, who is arguably the best piper on the island, offered their services immediately. Austin Graham let us use his recording studio in Annacotty, and it just so happened that a friend of mine, Gerry Forde, was over form the US and is a genius on the push button accordion.
“We recorded ‘The flowers are on the bridge again’ for the price of two eight packs of Heineken and I made a promise that every cent raised from the song would be donated to the Corbett Suicide Prevention, as they aren’t funded.
“I met with Mike Mulholland who is involved with the group and played the song for him. He was emotional listening to it but delighted that people were willing to help. I got onto a few pals in the US who have media contacts in the radio and TV industry and I’ve been guaranteed airplay,” Sean added.
While he’s not expecting to be at the Grammy’s, he hopes the song generates enough money to make a difference.
“If we raise enough to pay for a life buoy that someone can grasp to save their life, then it will have done its job”.
“This is me just doing my bit. Limerick is where I’m from and after seeing what is going on here, I can’t sit still and do nothing. When I lived in the US there was no such problem. In this city it’s a pandemic not an epidemic.
I’m not an expert on suicide and I never will be but my aim is to raise enough money to make even the smallest of differences”.
‘Flowers on the bridge’ can be downloaded at www.flowersonthebridge.bandcamp.com for €1, or you can donate via the same link.
Corbett Suicide Prevention will also have copies of the single for sale in the Milk Market over the next few weeks.
by Daragh Frawley
