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Caidreamh Edition 5 1

Caidreamh

From this to this

Fáilte go chách.

We introduced our Spring issue with the first of two images above. We are happy to intro-

duce this Super Summer Sizzler with the second image.

In keeping with the positivity associated with Summer, this issue has a number of optimistic

articles. There is a piece by Gerry Maley about the National Mental Health Engagement Day,

which was held on 22 May in the lovely surroundings of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham in

Dublin, while Laura Molloy writes about the conference and associated “matches” held under

the wing of the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) in Sweden from

28 May - 1st June 2018.

During National Mental Health Engagement Day, at which the Minister for Mental Health and

Older People, Jim Daly T.D., was guest of honour, the Mental Health Services: Family, Carer

and Supporter Guide was launched. Liam Hennessy describes what this Guide is about and

what it is trying to achieve.

Selina McGreal, who is the senior clinical pharmacist with the HSE Mayo Mental Health Ser-

vice, describes the Choice and Medication facility which is a very helpful and user friendly re-

source so that service users and their supporters can understand about the medications they

are prescribed or are taking.

And for the first time, we have a píosa as Gaeilge from Seosamh Ó Maolalaí who tells us

about what wellness means to him.

Patrick Nwaokorie, Area Lead for CHO1, pens a long, almost philosophical piece about the

challenges facing us all - not just Area Leads only - in developing a new partnership way of

working between service providers and service users and their supporters.

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There is room for each one of us to make a difference


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We have an interesting contribution on the Discover/Recover Theatre Project, A Face in the Crowd,

by Mairead Connaughton, Niall O’Muiri and Paula Lowney which describes a co-produced play

dealing with the experiences, hopes and recoveries of service users in the South East and which

has been showcased in a number of theatres, schools and community centres.

And last but certainly by no means least, we have a very moving article by Emmanuel Njume Sone,

who is from Senegal, about the plight of migrants coming from Africa to Ireland and the implications

this can have for their mental health, amongst other things. We hope to make the mental health

experiences of those groups which do not get as much mainstream attention as they should a regu-

lar theme in these pages.

As usual, we have our books slot, our poetry corner and our quotable quote feature. The poems we

include this time are both by service users and we think that they send out very hopeful messages,

while not downplaying the challenges associated with mental health difficulties.

We hope you enjoy this issue and continue to savour what is turning out to be a great Summer.

However, spare a thought for our farmers, amongst others, as the weather can cause problems for

them, leading in some cases to very real stress and anxiety. And spare that water!

Contents

Showtime: A Celebration of Mental Health Engagement……………………..3

Swedish Days and Nights………………………………..……………………....5

Mental Health Services: Family, Carer and Supporter Guide…………….….6

Choice and medication………………………………….…………………….….7

An rud a chuireann ar do shuaimhneas tú –

The thing that puts you at your ease……………………………………….…...8

The Challenges facing the Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement…….10

Arts in Mental Health

Discover/Recover Theatre Project: A Face in the Crowd…………………..12

No one knows the journey we’ve been through…………………………...…15

Poetry Corner…………………………………………………………………….16

Quotable Quote………………………………………………………………….18

Local Library...…………………………………………………………………...19

Local Fora Details……………………………………………………………….19

Helpful Contacts…………………………………………………………………22


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Showtime: A Celebration of Mental Health Engagement

Gerry Maley, Business Manager, Mental Health Engagement, MC Mental Health Engagement

Day

A well attended event at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham on 22 May was the occasion of the first

national celebration of mental health engagement across Ireland.

Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Jim Daly T.D., was guest of honour and a measure

of his enthusiasm for the day was the fact that he dispensed with his prepared script for his

presentation and spoke spontaneously.

Because of the nature of the event – a celebration of mental health engagement - over 250 ser-

vice users, family members and supporters as well as service providers attended to take part in

workshops, networking, a facilitated question and answer session with the Area Leads as well as

listening to a number of speakers. In addition to the Minister’s contribution, Con Colbert, a service

user, spoke very movingly about his experiences of, and hopes for, the Limerick Local Forum and

Anne O’Connor, now interim Deputy Director General of the HSE, spoke about the organisation’s

commitment to the process. Liam Hennessy took the opportunity to launch the Mental Health

Services Family, Carer and Supporter Guide which recognises and tries to respond to the needs

of family members and supporters who have a relative or friend who is availing of the mental

health services.


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The workshops addressed a variety of topics including:

The Challenges of Establishing Local Fora

The National Recovery Framework

Peer support working

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Advocacy

Quality and Service User Safety (QSUS) Best Practice Guidelines

Hopes for the Future of Mental Health Engagement

The Arts in Mental Health

Music

Discover/Recover

Personal stories from the world of engagement

The event was most efficiently put together and run by Michaela Meenaghan from the national of-

fice and her team of helpers who gave so much on the day ensuring that everything went entirely

smoothly. In fact, the evaluation sheets were almost completely complimentary, one participant go-

ing so far as to write: “Looking forward to next year already”.

And the band – The Dublin Ukulele Collective – was great!


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Swedish Days and Nights

Laura Molloy, Service Improvement Lead and Irish Liaison for the IIMHL

The International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) is

a collaboration of leaders within mental health services from nine

countries, Ireland, England, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Sweden

and the Netherlands. The IIMHL is in its 15th year of operation

and is led by President and Chief Executive, Fran Silvestri. The

organisation creates opportunities for mental health leaders to

share good practice, network and problem solve. It does this

through newsletters, updates and a Leadership Exchange event for leaders every eighteen

months.

The Leadership Exchange event is for leaders in mental health and there are such leaders in all

areas of the Irish mental health services. Some are leaders in providing services, some are lead-

ers in planning services, and some are leaders who have experienced services.

Ireland sent over 20 leaders, including service users and family members, to the Leadership Ex-

change event in June 2018. The event was held in Sweden and the theme was building bridges

between services to improve the conditions for mental health. The Leadership Exchange event is

made up of two parts including a two day match event with leaders working in similar areas and a

two day networking event for everyone in one large venue. The essence of the match event is

about sharing what works and what doesn’t work to enable the improvement of services in every

member country. The learning at the matches is very beneficial.

There was a lot of learning from the event, especially at the matches, where some members got

to visit frontline services e.g. a Trauma/ PTSD centre for young people, CAMHS services, Foren-

sic services, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) services and an arts and mental health project.

Many of those who participated recognised the work that is being done in Ireland to improve ser-

vices and how advanced the Irish mental health services are in the areas of Service User En-

gagement, Recovery and Peer Support Workers.

Overall the Leadership Exchange event is about the transfer of learning for better services and

this quote from one of the participants sums up the experience:

“the greatest things I learnt from the match was that, around the world, there is such posi-

tivity and enthusiasm in ensuring mental health services are the best that they can possibly

be. The people I had the pleasure of spending time with during the match are constantly

striving to provide the best care possible to service users and family members” (Ciara Gil-

lespie (IIMHL match: Facilitating young people’s involvement and advocacy in service de-

sign and delivery, policy and research))

You can join the IIMHL for free and receive their bimonthly bulletin at http://www.iimhl.com/iimhl-

join.html


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Mental Health Services: Family, Carer and Supporter Guide Liam Hennessy, Head of Mental Health Engagement The Guide which was launched on Mental Health En-gagement Day on 22 May in the Royal Hospital Kil-mainham, Dublin, is for family members, carers and supporters of people who use the mental health ser-vices. The Guide is also intended to help staff in the services in their interaction with family members or supporters in dealing with issues such as confidentiali-ty obligations. The purpose of the Guide is to outline for family mem-bers, carers and supporters of service users the care they can expect for their relatives or friends when they use the mental health services. It also makes some suggestions as to how family members, carers and supporters can care for them-selves when a relative or friend is unwell or feeling emotional distress. The Guide also sets out for the benefit of service us-ers, their families and supporters and service providers ways of dealing with the issue of confidentiality in a constructive manner that can hopefully be helpful to all. How to use the Guide The Guide is available in two formats: a longer booklet and a credit card style leaflet which is a shorter and handier version of the booklet. These can be obtained as follows: www.healthpromotion.ie While the Guide covers both the Primary and Secondary Care mental health services, much, but not all, of the details in the Guide relate to the Secondary Care services. In the booklet format, there is a Table of Contents on pages 4 and 5 and a Note (Note 3 on pages 49 to 53) dealing with various support opportunities. The easiest way to work through the booklet is to look at the Table of Contents to identify issues that may be particularly interesting to the reader in his or her own personal circumstances. That way, those parts of the Guide of most interest can be read straightaway.

http://www.healthpromotion.ie


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Choice and medication - newly approved by the HSE

Selina McGreal, Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Mayo Mental Health Service, HSE.

The internet has become an invaluable source of information allowing us to access the information

we want in seconds; however it is imperative to understand the importance of filtering through un-

reliable information to find trustworthy advice. Choice and medication is an independent website

which has been developed by pharmacists who specialise in mental health to allow easy access to

information about all medicines used in mental health. It is targeted towards service users, their

families, carers, and healthcare professionals.

The printable patient information leaflets (“PIL”) are an easy to read two page summary of the im-

portant things you should know about your medication, these are available in a number of different

languages. Common side effects are explained and helpful advice on how you can manage these.

There are five different types of leaflets available such as one with extra large print (BILL-XL).

There is a “handy book” which explains how medicines prescribed in mental health work and

“handy charts” compare the side-effects of medicines used to treat different conditions (e.g. the

“handy chart” for depression compares all antidepressants). There are leaflets specifically for

those who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy advising the current recommendations for each

medicine in pregnancy.

The purpose of this website is to help service users, their families and carers, understand their

medicines better and make more informed decisions, best as part of a discussion with a

healthcare professional.

https://www.choiceandmedication.org/ireland/


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An rud a chuireann ar do shuaimhneas tú – The thing that puts you at your

ease

Oibríonn Seosamh Ó Maolalaí i Roinn na nAcmhainní Daonna san FSS. Is bainisteoir é ar an

Seirbhís Idirghabhála do fhostaithe na Seribhíse Sláinte.

Bíonn píosa beag san Irish Times Dé hAoine. ‘What’s making you happy’ an teideal atá air.

Smaoineamh iontach simplí atá ann. Seans do dhaoine píosa beag a scríobh ag léiriú cad iad

na rudaí a thugann suaimhneas dóibh, na rudaí atá á dhéanamh acu faoi láthair agus atá ag cur

ar a gcumpórd iad féin.

Ag tús mí Bhealtaine, chuireas féin píosa beag isteach chucu. Seo é:

Ag buaileadh le mo chairde sa chlubtheach, CLG Na Fianna, Bóthar Mobhí, Glasnaíon,

oíche Déardaoin - ag múineadh is ag labhairt Gaeilge, ag féachaint ar an gcluiche, ag ól

piúnta, ag amhránaíocht is ag éisteacht le ceol binn. Ar mo sháimhín só! Seosamh Ó

Maolalaí.

Maraon le gach n-aon is dócha, uaireanta buaileann strus agus míshásamh mé. Cúrsaí oibre

amannta a bhíonn ag goilleadh orm. Mé buartha faoi seo agus siúd nach bhfuil déanta agam

fós; seo agus siúd nár dheineas chomh maith agus ba mhaith liom; seo agus siúd a chuireas ar

an méar fhada – an peaca is mó ar mo phaidrín, is dócha!

Agus, ní minic, buíochas le Dia, ach anois is arís, faighim deacair é dul i mo chodladh sámh de

bharr an saghas sin mhíshásaimh. Ach, tagann ciall le haois! Agus mé ag streacadh leis an mí-

shásamh seo, tagann an smaoineamh seo chugam: “Táann tú beagnach trí scór bhliain ar an

saol fén am seo, a Sheosaimh a chara. Cé méad atá fágtha agat? Fiche bliain, triocha más toil

Dé é? Bain sult as na blianta sin a chara, ná bí ag caitheamh amú ama buartha agus imníoch

faoina leithéad seo nó siúd. Fágaimid siúd mar atá sé!”

Agus cuimhním ar na rudaí sin – na rudaí a chuireann ar mo shuaimhneas mé. Spaisteoireacht

le mo mhadra cois abhann na Tulcha sa pháirc álainn sin, Páirc Ghleann na Tulcha, idir Fhion-

nghlas agus Cabrach. Ag caint is ag cabaireacht le mo bhean chéile. Ag dul go tigh mo mháthar

agus ag mealladh gáire aisti – a cuimhne agus a caint caillte aici anois ach an gáire inti fós, an

créatur. Agus mar a dúirt mé leis an Irish Times, ag buaileadh le mo chairde sa chlub i

nGlasnaíon agus ag labhairt Gaeilge agus ag ceol leo.


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Bíonn a rud féin ag gach duine. Bíodh! Bain sult as na rudaí a thaitníonn leat – iascaireacht,

léamh, cniotáil, comhra agus cupán tae, comhrá agus piúnt (aire!), spaisteoireacht, féachaint ar

éanlaith, snámh, an pictiúrlann, siopadóireacht – is cuma cén saghas rud é, má thugann sé suaim-

hneas duit, má ardaíonn sé do chroí, déan é!

Nuair a bhíonn brú orm ar obair – oibrím don chuid is mó in oifig, is bainisteoir nó feidhmeoir mé –

agus nuair a bhíon brú orm agus lá fada gnóthach caite agam, sroichim an bhaile istoíche agus mé

tuirseach traochta. Buaileann mo thón an tolg ag baile, lasaim an teilifís agus ní bhíonn aon fhonn

orm faic eile a dhéanamh. Tá mé ró-thuirseach le faic eile a dhéanamh, a deirim liom féin. Ach ní

fíor sin! Mar, seans go mbeidh mé in isle brí agus mé ag dul don leaba an oíche sin, má fhanaim ar

an tolg an oíche go léir. B’fhearra go mór dom mé féin a bhogadh – dul ag siúl leis an madra, dul go

dtí an club agus amhrán a rá, na gréithre a ní. A leithéad sin a dhéanamh agus tagann an fuinne-

amh ar ais chugam. Agus ardaíonn mo mheanma is mo mhisneach!

Déan na rudaí beaga agus coimeád ar do shuaimhneas tú féin - http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie/Get

-involved/LittleThings-campaign/.

Foclóir/Dictionary

Ar do shuaimhneas – at your ease; ag léiriú – showing; maraon le gach n-aon – the same as every-

one;

Ar mo sháimhín só – totally relaxed and at my ease; ní minic – not often;

ag goilleadh orm – upsetting me; codladh sámh – restful sleep;

Tagann ciall le haois – with age comes sense; míshásamh – discontent; buartha, imníoch – worried;

Spaisteoireacht – a stroll; ag cabaireacht – chattering; bain sult as – enjoy; tuirseach traochta – tired

out;

Tolg – couch; ní bhíonn aon fhonn orm – I have no desire; faic eile – nothing else;

In ísle brí – in low spirits; b’fhearra go mór dom – it would be much better for me; a bhogadh – to

move;

Na gréithre a ní – to wash the dishes; mo mheanma is mo mhisneach – my spirits and my courage

Roinn na nAcmhainní Daonna – the Human Resources Department; FSS – HSE;

http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie/Get-involved/LittleThings-campaign/

http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie/Get-involved/LittleThings-campaign/


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The Challenges facing the Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement

Patrick Nwaokorie, Area Lead for CHO 1 (Cavan/Monaghan, Sligo/Leitrim, Donegal)

A formal agreement to get married, an arrangement to be somewhere or meet someone at a specif-

ic place and time or, even, an aggressive encounter between military forces, the word engagement

has varying definitions. However, there is a common theme her and that is coming together. A

practical understanding of Mental Health Engagement might conclude that engagement occurs eve-

rytime service providers cross paths with people who use mental health services and their support-

ers (family members, carers or friends). This crossing of paths need not be a literal one, it can oc-

cur electronically through email, Skype, or phone with a call or text, through literature (letters, leaf-

lets, cards, manuals) and, of course, face to face.

Engagement occurs daily, almost every minute in mental health services and, when it’s not happen-

ing directly, teams, groups and committees are working on plans and initiatives that will inevitably

involve engagement. The role of Mental Health Engagement is to provide a space for the views

and experiences of people using our services and their supporters to influence positively how we

design, deliver and measure the success of services.

Therein lie three challenges, not just for the Area Leads but for all those involved in the mental

health services.

The first challenge involves developing structures namely, local fora, a place in the community for

people with lived experience to attend and feedback on their experiences, issues and priorities

while partnering with service providers.


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The outcomes of these local fora monthly meetings will be captured and formed into actions so that

they can be progressed locally through the appropriate channel within the service. The local forum

should represent in a very active way the vast array of people who use mental health services, pos-

sess a steady and sustainable membership and, most importantly, be productive in achieving their

objectives. This structural challenge is reflected again in the Area Forum, a place where non-

government organisations (NGOs), charities, agencies, representatives from local fora and the men-

tal health services form what can be viewed as a regional mental health collaboration network. Col-

lectively, the Area Fora will examine the issues and items appearing at the local fora and seek to

develop a collaborative approach to prioritising and addressing those issues.

Recognising the experience of people who have used mental health services as an asset and ask-

ing service providers and service users to work in partnership to the benefit for all represents a new

way of working for many in mental health services, provider and consumer alike. Indeed with new

ways of working, there are skills and resources that need to be developed. Often times some wish

to power on ahead, others thread more carefully and others still, hold fast. It is crucial as we pro-

gress to stop, review, alter, develop and replot if necessary.

The partnership approach is what is known as co-production and it is championed by colleagues in

Advancing Recovery Ireland (ARI), the Service Reform Fund (SRF) and by numerous other col-

leagues and services throughout the nine community health organisations.

The final challenge in this trilogy is sustainability. At present, there are approximately 30 local fora

which meet on a monthly basis, composed of people of have given their time and effort in the hope

of improving services. All of this development work in the community and within services needs to

be sustained. Engagement must move from the periphery to the core. In order for shift to occur,

engagement must become everybody’s business. It must remain on the agenda at meetings; there

should be clear evidence of it throughout the service but, most importantly, its impact and worth

should be visible.


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Arts in Mental Health

Discover/Recover Theatre Project: A Face in the

Crowd

Mairead Connaughton, Niall O’Muiri and Paula Lowney –

A Face in the Crowd, Project Team

Ireland is a nation of storytellers, and the idea of the "Seanchai" has

been part of our cultural history for centuries. Sadly, this medium of

sharing stories is something of a dying art. However, theatre has a

way of creating a forum for the sharing of stories in towns and com-

munities across Ireland.

The Discover/Recover Theatre Project believes that communities

hold their own solutions and the use of the creative medium in thea-

tre is a means to tap into these in a novel way. The real human ex-

perience of mental health difficulties is all around us, but we often don’t see it. It is rarely spoken

about and the details of the impact on individuals and families are not shared very often. The Dis-

cover/Recover project - through the sharing of sincere true life stories – offers, not only a rare

glimpse into a hidden world, but also brings enlightenment and hope. Embedding local stories in

local communities through theatre is integral to making the Arts accessible to all groups in society.

The Discover/Recover Theatre Project is a mental health educational drama initiative. Through

partnerships between the HSE Wexford/Waterford Mental Health Services, the Wexford Mental

Health Association, local schools and professional theatre production, the project has evolved

since its origins in 2015. In 2017/2018, the project was delighted to work in a new partnership

with the HSE Mental Health Engagement Office, who supported the project in reaching its aims.

Central to the project is an original piece of theatre A Face in the Crowd. The play brings several

individual recovery journeys in mental health to life. It is a co-produced educational drama piece

with three key themes:

Be aware of mental health

Seek Help

And there is always a better day ahead - recovery happens.

The play was created following a series of storytelling workshops entitled What’s Your Story?, with

a group of individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges. These individuals are

now known as our “Storytellers”. It is the belief of our Storytellers that “if this project helps just one

person, it will have been worth it”. It has evolved from a therapeutic storytelling intervention, to a

co-produced piece of drama performed with volunteers from a local Drama Group, to a profession-

al community arts-based mental health promotion initiative and has brought the project beyond the

boundaries of the Adult Mental Health Services, out in to the community, into schools and arts fes-

tivals. A Face in the Crowd was performed as part of the First Fortnight festival in January 2018

to a sell-out audience in the prestigious Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, supported by the HSE Men-

tal Health Engagement Office. This in itself was incredible validation for our Storytellers, in high-

lighting the value and importance of their individual recovery story, and seeing the impact it had on

audience members.


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A Face in the Crowd is supplemented by an educational workshop delivered by individuals with ex-

pertise in mental health and recovery. The educational workshop explores themes from the play

(mental health awareness, recovery and hope), affords people opportunities for considering their

own wellbeing and developing their own self-awareness around support networks and factors that

contribute to their own positive mental health.

The following provides a brief look at the achievements of A Face in the Crowd last Autumn and ear-

lier this year.

Sell-Out Performance, Smock Alley Theatre (First Fortnight Mental Health Arts Festival

2018)

4 Public Performances Carlow/Wexford

7 Secondary School Performances

29 Educational Workshops

All of this meant that the project reached over 1200 audience members including:889 secondary

school students

The audience feedback was very positive and included:

"Increased awareness of mental health"

"The way suicide is dealt with in the play could be life-saving."

“If I ever feel in any way suicidal, I know I can get through.”

“You know that you will always have something to help and make you look forward even

though things aren’t looking good right now.”

“That no problem lasts your whole life.”

“To help a friend in need or to help myself if I experienced signs of mental health.”

“Could help save a life.”


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A Face in the Crowd invites people of all walks of life to share in these powerful stories, and en-

courages self-reflection. The play has been successful in creating conversations about mental

health. The cohesion of multiple stakeholders in working towards a common goal, in producing the

play has brought about stronger connections across various sectors. Those with lived experience of

mental health difficulties are often a stigmatised group, and the sharing of these powerful stories

with a public audience that would otherwise not gain insight into this world has been a valuable

learning experience and connects people to those around them in a more meaningful way. This in-

clusive approach to opening dialogues about mental health is in line with Mental Health Engage-

ment Office’s focus on exploring and reducing stigma connected to mental health.


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No one knows the journey we’ve been through

Emmanuel Njume Sone, Health Information and Advocacy Officer, Cairde

Between the 1990s and 2000s, several migrant communities moved to Ireland. Amongst them

were people from countries experiencing civil war and others from countries with complex social

situations. Within some Sub-Saharan communities, for example, some women had been traf-

ficked into Europe as sex workers, before arriving in Ireland.

While in Ireland, they became asylum seekers for various reasons. Many were accommodated

in Direct Provision Centres. Many went on to have children and start families. After these fami-

lies were granted rights to reside in Ireland, they continued with their lives ignoring the journey,

from Africa and through the Direct Provision system.

Years after, some of these parents had their children removed by Tusla because of their differ-

ent parenting styles, or because of parental mental health concerns. These actions caused

some of these children to be raised in the foster care system, away from their parents and their

own communities.

Could all these different challenges have an impact on the mental health of these communities?

Currently, in Balbriggan, Blanchardstown and Tallaght, the Gardai are recording increased social

tensions between ethnic minority youths. Could there be a link to this history?


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Rhyme and Reason

A Face in the Crowd

A lonely face was in the crowd

Wondering “Does anybody care”

I’m lost, alone, bewildered

“Can no-one see me here?”

I have so many problems

I really need to share

I feel so isolated

These burdens I cannot bear

I have to tell somebody

The voices will not stop

Seeing things that are not there

Please help me I am lost

People came to my school today

A play was shown to all

It was all set up

Inside the school hall

Oh yes I have those feelings

Of the people on the screen

Someone is telling my story

I know I have been seen

No longer a face in the crowd

My story I will tell

I am like so many others

And yes I will get well

Joanne Walsh


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Surrender to Choose

I have to let go, cast all thought aside

Follow the rifts, the eternal tide

Like an ocean my feelings exhume

Concepts and theories rage and loom

Thought creates emotion, emotion creates thought

A vicious cycle in which I’m caught

Lift up transcend, rise above

Fly in the sky with the soul of a dove

Surrender to my hopes and dreams

Its ok to choose, follow sunbeams

Into a bright future, clear as a lake

Don’t worry or fear to make a mistake

My memories make me who I am today

But some restrict me, why do they stay

Cast them aside, focus on serenity

Its what I want to become, it’s who I want to be

For its better to live and make those choices

Follow my own path, ignore doubting voices

You can do anything you wish to do

Believe in yourself, surrender to choose

Angelina Peach


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Quotable Quote

“Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in.”

Leonard Cohen

Cohen, who didn’t like explaining his music, reportedly made a rare statement about “Anthem” on

The Future Radio Special, a special CD released by Sony in 1992.

The future is no excuse for an abdication of your own personal responsibilities towards yourself

and your job and your love. “Ring the bells that can still ring”: they’re few and far between but you

can find them.

This situation does not admit of solution of perfection. This is not the place where you make things

perfect, neither in your marriage, nor in your work, nor anything, nor your love of God, nor your

love of family or country. The thing is imperfect.

And worse , there is a crack in everything that you can put together: Physical objects, mental ob-

jects, constructions of any kind. But that’s where the light gets in, and that’s where the resurrec-

tion is and that’s where the return, that’s where the repentance is. It is with the confrontation, with

the brokenness of things.


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Local Library

In this issue we recommend two books. They are:

Commit by Enda McNulty and

The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray

Commit is a relentlessly positive “how to” book which proposes various approaches to improving

physical and mental wellness and self confidence, even if it is a bit self-promoting of former Armagh

All Ireland winning footballer, Enda McNulty.

Catherine Gray’s book is darker although really very funny in parts. It describes her relationship

with alcohol and how she addressed it together with some excellent suggestions about how others

might deal with similar challenges. It certainly prompts all of us to look at our own relationships with

“the demon drink”.

Curiously, both authors are from Northern Ireland!

CHO 1 Date Venue Time

Donegal Forum July 24th Community Inclusion Hub, Kilmacren- 17:00-19:00

Donegal Local Forum

Coffee Morning

August 13th Motley Crow Anti-Cafe, Railway

House, Ramelton Rd, Gortlee,

11:00

Sligo/Leitrim Forum July 19th Branching Out The Nest,

Custom Quay House,

19:00-21:00

Cavan/Monaghan Forum July 17th YWCA Hall, North Road, Mullaghmon-

aghan, Monaghan Town

19:00-21:00

For further information please contact [email protected], Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement

for CHO 1

Local Fora Dates and Locations


Castlebar Local Forum August 15th

September 12th

Mayo Mental Health Association,

Antrim Street

19:00-21:00

Roscommon Local Forum July 9th

August 13th

September 10th

REGARI Recovery College, The

Lodge

18:00-20:00

Ballina Local Forum July 17th

August 21st

September 18th

Ardnaree Family Resource Centre 19:00-21:00

Galway City Local Forum –

First development

meeting

July 5th

Next meeting TBC

Let’s Get Talking Galway offices,

Liosban Business Park, Tuam Road

18:30-20:00

For further information please contact [email protected], Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement for

CHO 2

mailto:[email protected]


Caidreamh


North Tipperary Local

Forum

July 3rd

September 4th

Nenagh Library, O’Rahilly St,

Nenagh North, Nenagh

18:00-20:00

Clare Local Forum July 24th Sonas Centre 19:00-21:00

Limerick Local Forum July 31st St Joseph’s Health Campus, 18:00-20:00

For further information please contact [email protected], Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement for CHO

3


Cork and Kerry TBC TBC TBC


South Tipperary July 9th

August TBC

September 3rd

Clonmel Community Resource Centre

(Venue subject to change from Au-

gust)

18:00-20:00

Kilkenny September 11th Recovery College South East,

Greenshill, Kilkenny

18:00-20:00

Carlow September TBC Activation Centre, Carlow TBC

Waterford September TBC Tracey’s Hotel, Waterford TBC

Wexford September TBc Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy - TBC

For further information please contact [email protected], Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement for CHO

5


Dublin South East Forum August 18th The Junction, Pearse & Macken

Streets

19:30-21:30

Wicklow Forum Meeting July 5th Knockrobin Health Centre 19:30-21:30

Cluain Mhuire Forum

Open Evening

September 6th Avila House, Blackrock 19:30-21:30

Lucena Supporters Fo-

rum

August 22nd Avila House, Blackrock 19:30-21:30

South Dublin Local Fo-

rum

August 14th The Junction Pearse and Macken

Sts

19:30-21:30

For further information please contact [email protected], Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement for

CHO 6




Caidreamh


MHE Info Session – Bal-

lyfermot/Lucan

July 10th Ballyfermot Library 18:15pm

Ballyfermot/Lucan Local

Forum

TBC TBC TBC

Kildare West Wicklow

Local Forum

Last Thursday of every

month

Naas Library,

Basin Street,

Naas

19:00 - 20:30

St. James Hospital Men-

tal Health Services Local

Forum

Second Monday of every

month

St Martha’s Day Service,

730 South Circular Road,

Kilmainham

19:00 - 20:30

Tallaght Local Forum Third Tuesday of every

month

St Maelruain’s,

Main Street Tallaght

19:00 - 20:30

For further information please contact [email protected], Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement

for CHO 7


Longford Local Forum 31st July Longford Library (Beside Tesco /

Longford Shopping Centre)

11:00 – 13:00

Westmeath Local Forum 12th July Mullingar Library, County Buildings,

Mullingar Town Centre

18:00 – 19:45

Laois Local Forum TBC Triogue Centre, Bridge Street,

Portlaoise

18:00 – 19:45

Louth / Meath Contact your local Louth / Meath Consumer Panel at consumerpanellouth-

[email protected]

For further information please contact [email protected]


Balbriggan Local Forum

Meeting

July 18th

August 15th

Balbriggan Library 17:30-18:30

11:30-13:00

11:30-13:00

Blanchardstown Infor-

mation Session

Blanchardstown Local

Forum Meeting

July 9th

August 13th

Blanchardstown Library 17:30-19:00

TBC

Raheny Local Forum

Meeting

TBC St Francis Raheny TBC

For further information please contact Mental Health Engagement CHO 9 at: [email protected]






Caidreamh

Samaritans

Website: www.samaritans.org

Free Phone: 24 hours: 116123.

Shine

Website: www.shine.ie

Support Email: [email protected]

Support Contact Details

Aware

Website: www.aware.ie

Email: [email protected]

Freephone: 1800 80 48 48

Available Monday - Sunday

10am to 10pm

Pieta House

Website: www.pieta.ie

Email: [email protected]

Freephone: 1800 247 247.

Available 24/7

Useful Links

Services and Supports

www.hse.ie/mentalhealth www.yourmentalhealth.ie

Useful Documents

Family, Carer and Supporter Guide - https://www.healthpromotion.ie/hp-files/docs/HMT01164.pdf

Family, Carer and Supporter Guide Leaflet - https://www.healthpromotion.ie/hp-files/docs/HMT01165.pdf

http://www.samaritans.org

http://www.shineonline.ie

http://www.aware.ie


http://www.pieta.ie


https://www.hse.ie/mentalhealth

http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie/

https://www.healthpromotion.ie/hp-files/docs/HMT01164.pdf

