The suicide rate for county Kerry in 1988 was determined by clinical means using postmortem records as a starting point. Sixteen deaths due to suicide were thus identified (eight males and eight females). The official figure for the year is 19 (13 males and six females). Four of the clinically determined suicides did not appear in the official figures. Combining information from both sources gives a figure of 23 suicide deaths, a rate of 18.58 per 100,000. The authors conclude that there are continuing deficiencies in suicide recording practices.
