Gardaí will mark Go Purple Day with information events across Donegal

Donegal gardaí will take part in the national day for domestic abuse awareness, ‘Go Purple Day’, on Friday, May 30.

Go Purple Day aims to increase awareness of domestic abuse and of the many supports available to those experiencing it. Gardaí across Donegal will wear a purple ribbon on their uniform that day.

Go Purple Day was originally scheduled to take place on Friday, May 16. However, it was postponed as a mark of respect to Garda Kevin Flatley, who was killed after being struck by a motorbike while on duty in north County Dublin.

Buncrana Community Policing Unit will hold a coffee morning at the Inishowen Co-Op in Carndonagh between 11am and 1pm to mark the day and to raise awareness about domestic abuse support services that are available. 

Lifeline Inishowen will also be at the event to advise and to distribute information about their services.

There will be a coffee morning at Donegal Town Garda Station between 11am and 1pm where information about domestic abuse services will also be distributed. Everybody is welcome to attend these events and full details will be posted to An Garda Síochána Facebook page before then. 

Gardaí from the Community Policing Unit in Letterkenny and Lifford will be out on the beat on Friday wearing their purple ribbons and distributing information leaflets about domestic abuse support services that are available to the public and into cafes, hairdressers, barbers, public buildings etc. The public are invited to stop for a chat with them if they meet them.

Garda Catherine Callaghan will also be planting purple flowers in the flowerbeds outside Lifford Garda Station on Friday morning at 10am and she would be delighted to have some help, so if anyone with green fingers would like to assist they are invited to go along. 

Garda Gráinne Doherty said: “Go Purple Day is about raising awareness and we are asking that you speak to one another about domestic abuse. Without realising, you might just give someone the crucial support they’ve needed to begin to share some of the fear they deal with alone.

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“If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse please come and speak with us at any Garda Station. In an emergency or immediate danger please call 999/112.”