By Claire Corrigan
After the successful launch and distribution of MYSELF 2015, with 5,000 booklets distributed to front line services, schools and teachers, Mullingar Lions Club launched MYSELF 2016, on Wednesday, 2 March in the Greville Arms hotel.
Project Manager of MYSELF, Frank Dillon thanked those in attendance for the support that has been shown to the Lions Club over the years. “The Lions Club has been able to provide a lot of support in the community over the last 30 years. When we saw the hardships of the recession, we set up a family support fund. And you saw the impact of physical health on mental health and this booklet followed as a result. We have just completed 10,000 copies of this book and the people who came here today are ambassadors for it. You are the community that support us so well through every activity – cycles, quizzes or food appeals. You may know some people who may be in trouble and this book can help them on a practical level as well as anything else.”
MYSELF – (Mullingar Youth Supports Embracing Local Families), is an initiative being implemented by Mullingar Lions Club to support young people, families and carers, to promote a positive understanding of mental health in the community, including how to look after it and factors that can have an impact on it. The booklet contains useful websites and helplines available locally and nationally. There is also an app available for both iPhone and Android users.
To help launch MYSELF 2016, Mullingar Lions Club lined up a panel to give some insights and tips in promoting positive mental health.
Their first speaker was Dr. Niall Muldoon, the Ombudsman for Children. The title of Niall’s talk is “Mental Health – Information is Power!”
Dr. Niall Muldoon is Ireland’s second Ombudsman for Children. He was appointed to this position in 2015 by President Michael D. Higgins, following an open competition and interview process involving children and adults. As Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Muldoon is directly accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas.
While reviewing MYSELF 2016, Dr. Niall Muldoon said, “As Ombudsman for Ireland I am delighted to launch such an excellent publication which contains information and help around issues such as study and exams, anxiety, religion, sexuality, self-harm and suicide. This initiative can go a long way to help the young people and adults of the Mullingar area to understand and improve their mental health and wellbeing. Building awareness around these issues will lead to recovery and resilience for all those who need assistance with their emotional wellbeing. Ireland has the highest rate of youth suicide in Europe and therefore an initiative such as this, which includes an APP, needs to be applauded and replicated through the country. Both the Mullingar Lions Club and Mental Health Ireland deserve great credit for bringing this project to fruition.”
Also speaking at the launch was John Leonard, the author of ‘Dub Sub Confidential’, winner of the Setanta Sports Irish Sports Book of the Year award. The book documents his journey from being abused as a child, through to abusing alcohol and drugs, before turning his life around through sport and being called up to play for the Dubs – his boyhood dream.
At school John was the captain of the football team and was a friendly, happy-go-lucky person but shortly after sitting the Leaving Certificate, things started to go downhill.
After failing to get the points for his chosen college course and missing out on a offer to play professional football in the UK, John became disillusioned. Around the same time, a fight with his father about religion awakened a suppressed memory he had of being abused as a child which plunged him deeper into depression. “In that moment everything was shattered. I had to go to the police station and make a statement and this started a massive investigation. This had a massive impact on me. That’s why I like this booklet because it encourages people to open up. I didn’t do any of that and thought that I would look after myself. I started drinking heavily and doing drugs.”
His one refuge has been football and in the late 90s he had been a member of the St Sylvester’s team that won a Dublin county title and had played on a Dublin U21 team alongside stellar names like Ciaran Whelan and Jason Sherlock.
After spending three years as sub-keeper to Stephen ‘Clucko’ Cluxton, he spiraled downward once more until he faced the truth: he had a responsibility to take charge of his life.
Jill O’Herlihy, Communications Manager at Mental Health Ireland, presented some experiences from the parent’s point of view, using practical tips and information from the MYSELF booklet.
