First Fortnight CEO Maria Fleming: “We try to platform artworks and artists that positively show the actual lived experience, and highlight the fact that recovery is possible”

2025 marks fourteen years since the inaugural First Fortnight festival.

Its origins, as per legend, trace back to a kitchen table conversation in Tallaght between founders David Keegan and J.P. Swaine. Both involved in the arts, the pair were concerned about the fear and shame around discussing mental health within the industry and beyond.

“First Fortnight was formed to try and tackle the stigma that's attached to mental health through a positive and celebratory arts festival,” says F.F's Chief Executive Officer Maria Fleming.

“The first two weeks in January can be a very tricky time for people in terms of their mental health, particularly those who may have relationships that have broken down, so Christmas isn't something that they look forward to.

“For people who already struggle with their mental health there's a lot of pressure around Christmas and the new year too. The thinking is that we would be a cultural oasis for people who are struggling.”

First Fortnight has grown significantly since its humblish beginnings, expanding from a grassroots initiative to a professionalised organisation that provides creative therapies to members of vulnerable communities. Their 2025 festival, taking place across between January 4-18, will host over sixty five affordable, inclusive and accessible workshops, concerts, film screenings, exhibitions and more across Ireland.

“The conversation has definitely opened up, and we've noticed a big change post-Covid,” reflects Maria. “I think the pandemic and lockdowns made people realise how close to home mental health and mental ill health are, so we've seen a lot more dialogue.”

Even with these steps in the right direction, Maria iterates that there’s more headway to be made when it comes to destigmatising certain conversations.

“There would still be some shame around things like psychosis and psychotic episodes, as well as OCD or eating disorders," she continues. “There is still a gender imbalance too. There are really shocking statistics in terms of the number of suicides among males in Ireland and in particular young males and in some populations in particular, such as the traveller community."

Inclusivity is very much at the heart of First Fortnight. As well as a LGBTI+ Traveller Spoken Word Event at Smock Alley on January 7, there are a number of events featuring refugees, with Ukrainian singer-songwriter Shy set to take part in F.F's beloved therapy sessions in Dublin.

"We're delighted to be able to feature an artist from Ukraine to act as a way that we can show our solidarity," says Maria. "Further in the festival we have Amir Sabra, who is a Palestinian dancer performing with us in Smock Alley. Again that's a way for First Fortnight to show solidarity with our artistic community in Palestine."

 

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Tackling the misrepresentation of mental health within art is also at the core of proceedings, Maria explains.

“There have been changes in recent times, but we have seen really awful depictions of mental ill health in art over the years, such as very poor misrepresentations of schizophrenia, for example. We try to platform artworks and artists that positively show the actual lived experience, and highlight the fact that recovery is possible.”

An example is Declan’s Got Talent, a dark comedy stage production by Youghal native and veteran actor Peter Gowen. Set to be toured across Ireland, the play deals with the difficult issue of sexual and physical abuse of young boys in institutions.

“Many of those victims would now be Peter's age and dealing with mental health issues as a result of that abuse,” observes Maria. “The aim is to address difficult topics in an ethical and appropriate way on stage, and provide a positive example.”

 

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Music is at the forefront of the First Fortnight’s mission, and a number of events are tailored around exploring its positive ramifications for mental wellbeing. Take The Art Of Mental Health, which sees composer Norah Walsh forge a choral piece specifically for the festival.

“Norah visited four different community choirs around the country in Armagh, Kildare, Dublin and Kerry,” Maria says.

"She held workshops which addressed how they deal with their own mental health and how community singing or group singing or singing in a choir has helped them. She's taken that content and created a choral piece of music that will be sung by the Laetare Vocal Ensemble in St. Patrick's Cathedral on January 16."

“We know that being a member of a choir gives people a sense of community and connection, which already is brilliant for your mental health,” explains Maria. “But there's scientific proof that singing lowers cholesterol and increases oxytocin. So what's not to love there?”

Furthermore, Maria will be chatting to revered songwriter Damien Dempsey on January 8 in Dublin's St Patrick's Hospital, following a screening of his film Love Yourself Today. The acclaimed 2021 documentary earned plaudits for delicately showcasing music’s enduring ability to heal.

“I am such a fan,” beams Maria. “I had a meeting with myself telling myself not to fangirl Damien when I interview him.

“The film captures exactly what First Fortnight is about, why we're there, why we do what we do. And as an artist, Damien Dempsey captures exactly what we're looking to do. He beautifully shares his own experience of mental ill health, of difficult times, of vulnerable times, through narrative and through his amazing art.”

Damien Dempsey at Vicar Street. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Also on the bill is Mary Coughlan, who’ll be performing for Nollaig na mBan alongside esteemed poet Paula Meehan on January 6 in the intimate venue of Whelan's in Dublin.

The Irish for ‘Women’s Christmas’, 2025 marks the third year in a row that First Fortnight will be using the opportunity to focus on issues particular to women.

“Historically, there's the issue of portraying women as being hysterical,” Maria says. “In recent years, we're starting to learn more and more about the impacts of things like postpartum depression and menopause. There are particular physical issues that can severely impact a woman's mental health that have been traditionally dismissed, predominantly when the medical profession was more male dominated.

"Thankfully, we're starting to see a change, but there is still a need because of those historical inaccuracies. It is important to address that, to call it out and to make a welcoming space for women where they can discuss and address issues that are very particular to them.”

“I'm a huge Mary Coughlan fan,” Maria continues. “And she, similarly to Damo, has been a real beacon for people. She has shared, through her music and through interviews, her experience as a woman in the arts, as a mother as a daughter.

“She has been very generous in sharing her own experiences of addiction and mental health struggles which has hugely helped so many women in Ireland and beyond.

“And we're delighted that she is joined by the equally brilliant Paula Meehan, who is just a spectacular poet. She's written on so many topics, but she does address poverty beautifully and how that impacts women and families and communities. So we are really blessed to have Mary and Paula with us.”

• The First Fortnight Festival 2025 takes place across Ireland and runs until January 18. For more information on the above events, as well a detailed itinerary on everything taking place over the next few weeks, visit firstfortnight.ie.