John Sweetman

Although it was not like Elaine to turn down paid shifts at the shops she worked at, she was really looking forward to the tall ships.

As well as working part-time at Ken's News Agents, she also worked as a childcare assistant at St John's National School in Ballybrack and studied nights trying to finish her Montessori teaching course.

She also volunteered for the Red Cross on Tuesdays.

Elaine lived a full and busy life, but she'd had a challenging time in the summer of 2012.

Keeping herself busy was not unusual for Elaine.

It had long been a way of managing the mental health difficulties she had faced throughout her life.

But in the months before the Tall Ships Festival, that balance began to slip.

She admitted herself into St.

Edmundsbury Hospital in Lucan, a place she had come to rely on during difficult periods, returning there 14 times over the previous 12 years.

This time, she remained there for six weeks, having come close to suicide.

Elaine's struggles had not come out of nowhere.

She was born on St.

Patrick's Day in 1976 to Eileen, a teacher, and Frank, a banker.

Elaine grew up in Killiney and was the eldest of four children with two younger brothers and a younger sister.

Her early years were marred with bullying and struggles with dyslexia.

In her mid-teens, a close friend was killed in a road accident.

This had a devastating impact on Elaine.

She became introverted and withdrawn, leading to her first attempt at suicide and her first admission into psychiatric care.

After admitting at 12 that she had obsessive fantasies about being restrained, her doctor felt she had gradually emerging psychosis.

Elaine would be treated for depression and borderline personality disorder.