IT'S RAW BUT SO VITAL

Red Hand ace says talking openly about problems is the only way

- PAUL KEANE

RONAN MCNAMEE had a tooth knocked out on his Tyrone debut by Paul Galvin - but life off the field turned out to be even more difficult.

The Red Hand full-back has opened up about his struggle with depression which left him feeling he had "no way out".

The 2021 All-Ireland winner was at his lowest ebb five years earlier when he bought a set of knives and cut his wrists.

It wasn't until 2019 that he went public about his situation in a shock interview.

Four years on, it's only recently that the 31-year-old has become comfortable with speaking about his welfare.

Launching the Darkness Into Light event, a fundraiser for suicide prevention and bereavement support services, McNamee admits it's "still raw" discussing the struggles.

He said: "I did a thing with the Antrim hurler Domhnall Nugent about a month ago, he has got a 'Let's Face It' campaign, talking about his mental health and he is going around schools up north, going around clubs and making a massive push on it.