The First Fortnight Mental Health Arts Festival has announced its 2016 programme, which has Dublin as its epicentre but will also spread out to Galway, Wicklow, Limerick, Cork and Kildare.
The January 1-14 line-up includes such high-profile names as snooker legend Willie Thorne, broadcasters John Bowman and Diarmuid Gavin, actor Mary McEvoy, Olympian Kenneth Egan and acclaimed musician Jennifer Evans.
The aforementioned Mr. Bowman chairs If Elected, a January 13 debate where the main parties and independents will be grilled on what they intend to do to improve the country’s mental health.
The Brian Wilson biopic, Love & Mercy, will be screened nationwide and there’ll be more tunes from Gavin Glass, Sean ‘Doctor’ Millar, We Cut Corners, Saint Sister, the High Hopes Choir and lots more.
“I know what it’s like to feel like you can’t ask for help,” says 2fm’s Eoghan McDermoot who’s an ambassador for the event. “I know what it’s like to be embarrassed by your own feelings, but I also know what it feels like to have that weight lifted off your shoulders by talking to someone. Talking helps. There is no shame in experiencing a mental health problem, it happens to a lot of us.”