'This won't be stopped': Ambitious plans for mental health initiative helping Kildare residents in crisis

A public consultation has led to calls for the establishment of a mental health depository aimed directly at assisting County Kildare residents struggling with their mental health.

The event, which took place inside Newbridge Town FC, was organised by mental health professional Paddy Maher and life coach Francis 'Fracas' Foran.

Both men, who met purely by a chance encounter back in 2020, have worked together by creating the mental health service 'Reduce and Stop Suicide'.

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The aim of this service is to raise awareness on suicide prevention and intervention, as well as to raise a general awareness about mental health and addiction issues.

Paddy Maher speaking at the event

The consultation was attended by around 40 people - some attendees included: the Mayor of the Kildare Newbridge Municipal District, Fianna Fáil Cllr Noel Heavey; a representative for Labour Party TD Mark Wall; members of the Kildare and Newbridge branch of the Samaritans; a member of Teach Dara; a member of Newbridge Family Resource Centre; a representative for Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O'Loughlin; Ned Curran, an activist known for his work with the Limerick Treaty Suicide Prevention group; and Noeleen Eustace, a woman who has been campaigning for mental health reform following the death of her late son, Kelvin Brennan, who died by suicide last year.

Mr Maher and Mr Foran facilitated a dialogue which went on for nearly two hours, in which different members of the audience shared their experiences with mental health services and dealing with mental health conditions, ranging from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and self-harm to Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder.

Other members of the audience who spoke included people who had experienced mental health and addiction difficulties, as well as those who had been affected personally by loved ones who had died by suicide.

Some members became emotional and visibly angered while discussing their past experiences, while the lack of presence from other political representatives was criticised by different audience members, as well as Mr Maher himself.

Virtually all in attendance expressed criticism over how mental health patients are handled in Kildare, as well as the Irish government's overall handling of mental health issues.

In addition, it was notably highlighted how many people did not know where to go to first if they or someone they knew was in crisis — Mr Foran asked anyone who was confident of where to go first to raise the hands, but these people made up less than a quarter of the room.

"That's mind-blowing to think that, in this day and age," he added following the show of hands.

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RUNNING THEMES

Overall, a number of running themes kept cropping up during this event.

Some of these included: a desire for mental health services to be held accountability; the suggestion to introduce mental health education at an early stage in schools; the return of local people checking in on one another and performing simple acts of acknowledgement and kindness; and a wish to see a grassroots movement to improve mental health in Kildare, starting with the creation of a depository for specific mental health services in Kildare.

Near the end of the nearly two-hour meeting, Mr Maher, Mr Foran and Mayor Heavey helped organise a contact sheet for anyone in attendance who was open to creating a new mental health initiative to assist the people of Kildare.

Speaking directly to the audience at the end of the meeting, Mr Maher expressed optimism that the night had sparked action.

He asserted: "We will change this — Francis and I have started something and it won't be stopped."

Mayor Noel Heavey was among those helping to organise number of contact sheets, which were handed out at the meeting. Above he can be seen signing one of the sheets.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Samaritans Ireland (116 123 or jo@samaritans.org) or you can visit pieta.ie (24/7 Free Crisis Helpline: 1800 247 247 or Text HELP to 51444).

In addition, you can also visit https://www.aware.ie/.

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