LIVING WITH AUTISM

"People don't realise when you are living with autism; it’s not just the people or the children with autism that are affected. It’s the siblings and extended family."

THE birth of a child is a life changing experience for the dynamics of any family but what we seem to forget is how the family as a whole, changes with the new arrival.

A new baby not only impacts the immediate family but creates change for the extended family. From the siblings to the grandparents that first cry from a new-born baby changes everything.   

For Mark and Sharon Larkin, life as they knew it changed forever in 2010 with the birth of their twin boys Reece and Tyler. Having had a practice run with their eldest son Calum, both had anticipated the tears and tantrums that new-borns can bring to a home.

The arrival of Tyler and Reece completed this picture perfect family. The Larkin’s from Bray in Co Wicklow had prepared for double the trouble which twins can often times bring, but nothing could have prepared the family for what they were to be told in the twins first year of life.

While pregnant with the twins, Sharon was told that there was little or no chance that Reece would live through the pregnancy or survive birth. His kidney had ruptured in the womb and doctors told the parents to be, it was highly unlikely that Reece would survive.

Despite suffering a massive brain stroke, Reece had defied all expectations and survived childbirth and continued to fight. With the help of rehabilitation and spending the first three months of his early life in Crumlin children’s hospital, Reece continued to fight for life.

As the charismatic three year puts his shoe on the table, while taking a look at a set of headphones left on the table, he appears like any other three year old. His father adds "Reece is a miracle himself, he came out and started fighting."

Sharon’s ‘motherly’ instinct’ began to kick in though when she noticed differences in how her twin boys began to act compared to when her eldest child Calum was a baby. It was thought that Tyler was suffering from a hearing difficulty as he seemed to be unresponsive to loud noises.

Mark and Sharon admit that this was tough especially after the difficulties they had gone through with Reece and the concern that he will eventually need a kidney transplant but they united as a family to brave the struggles that lay ahead.

Like many other families in Ireland, the Larkin’s are living with what has become known as the "hidden disability" which is Autism. Within a few months of their first birthday, Reece and Tyler had been diagnosed with autism.

The boy’s mother Sharon says "On a scale of one to a hundred in terms of autism, the boys rank at 98 per cent." this being the worse end of the spectrum to be on medically.

It was the change in behaviour that led Mark and Sharon to question the health of their twin boys. "When the twins were one, they both spoke, they both developed normally up to the age of one and one and a half, but then they stopped." 

Mark noticed changes in his son Tyler, "All of a sudden he lost his personality, and it was like he just disappeared. The sad reality is that he used to be able to say 'Mama' and 'Dada'." This no longer happens, and Mark tells of the heart break of his own son not being able to recognise him.

The boys started regression which is the early stages of autism setting in. People with Autism begin to stop talking, stop making eye contact and basically stop functioning. The struggles this family faces are much the same as lots of other Irish families, but the Larkin’s however have to fight for their boys as they are unable to do so themselves.

 “It’s very tough to look after two autistic children.” Family life has changed considerably for the Larkin family but this has been necessary as they live with Autism as a family and as Mark pointed out this is something the vast majority of people fail to realise.

The twin’s older brother who at the tender age of eight has had to grow up considerably because of his younger brother’s condition. The twins have their moments where they throw things and scream and this is something that Callum has had to learn just to walk away from.

 “My heart breaks for Calum, he is only a child, but living with autism has made him grow up very quickly.” adds Sharon.

The extended members of the Larkin family have been excellent in offering up emotional and financial support to the family. Mark and Sharon look to their own parents for guidance on occasion. “It really is about creating a support unit for families who live with Autism.” added Mark.

Tyler and Reece walk across the living room floor to explore the ‘stranger’ in the room who is talking to their father. Two bubbly and curious young men explore their surroundings walking back and forth from the TV. The picture of what a three year old should look like.

Sharon had been caring for the twins herself until recently when Mark gave up his job to stay at home and help Sharon with the boys. The boys are not fully developed to their three years and still need to be fed, and they wear nappies. It is another reality of living with Autism.

The Future

Reece and Tyler are enrolled at St Catherine’s school in Bray County Wicklow where they were receiving one to one tuition to assist with the early intervention which is vital for young sufferers of Autism.

Mark and Sharon realise the wide spectrum that autism brings, every child is different, but without their fight and their cause at the moment, the chances of Reece and Tyler’s return to one to one necessary early intervention teaching is slim.

The teachings were improving the quality of the boy’s lives and were responding well. However cuts to St Catherine’s have left Reece and Tyler without the vital one to one teaching that is seen as a fundamental role in helping autistic children reach mainstream school.

 “You always hear of other families going through all this but you never think it’s going to happen to you,” says Sharon. “We need to fight for the boys because this country just sits back and takes it.”

The Larkin family would like to see the Department of Education to start recognising special needs assistants as teachers instead of them being paid by the HSE.

“If they are recognised as teachers and what they are doing by giving one to one intervention to young children with Autism, they should be recognised as teachers.” says the twin’s father.

Family Life

Mark and Sharon know that they must continue their fight and try to get the best help possible for their boys “We just have to get on with it, it is very difficult for the two of us, and we don’t really have time to think about ourselves.”

 “It doesn’t seem to be getting any better. It seems to be getting worse, but I would not change it, I’m not complaining about my kids, I love them to bits and I would do anything for them.” says Mark.

“It’s just very frustrating and hard to deal with Autism and not only on us but on our other son Calum because he is living with autism also.”

Autism changed the lives of the Larkin family forever but it has drawn this close knit family even closer together. They face the next step in their journey together, as a family.

700 Irish people sign up to take a break from alcohol.

700 Irish people sign up to take a break from alcohol.

A new initiative ‘Hello Sunday Morning’ launched in February by SpunOut.ie has seen over 700 Irish people sign up to re-evaluate their relationship with alcohol.

 

The campaign encourages people to try life without alcohol for a few weeks, a few months or even a year, and to write about our experiences online at www.hellosundaymorning.ie.

 

The first 'Hello Sunday Morning' event took place on Sunday in Dublin. It was morning to bring the Irish HSM community together and find out how Hello Sunday Morning has been doing in Ireland so far.

 

Speaking at the event was, youth engagement officer with SpunOut.ie John Buckley. He spoke of the need for Irish people to find a middle ground between alcohol absenense and binge drinking in Ireland.

 

“Hello Sunday Morning is for all age groups but we have seen a lot of young people take part and from that people are going out and enjoying themselves without being under the influence of alcohol.” said Mr Buckley.

 

The campaign which was launched in conjunction with the Des Bishop series ‘Under the Influence’ on RTÉ 2 focuses on encouraging people to realise their full potential and not to feel that you need alcohol to enjoy yourself.

 

 It is not an anti-alcohol initiative, nor does the campaign urge people to give up alcohol for good, but rather to take a break and see what happens and use that experience to make informed decisions on alcohol in the future.

 

The campaign which originated in Australia has seen over 12,000 people visit the website so far and the Irish campaign is gaining momentum with over 700 people signing up to take a break from alcohol.

 

The research from the Australian example is clear; when you do take a break from alcohol, you feel better, you feel more in control and you end up – generally speaking – with a better relationship with alcohol.

 

Those who have registered with the website are blogging about their experiences and Mr Buckley added “This creates personal change for yourself by embracing your Sunday Mornings. It creates social change by making those ripples on social media.”

 

One participant with the HSM campaign was Marie Duffy from Co Donegal who admitted the hardest thing about abstaining from alcohol is going out in Dublin and being around people who are really drunk.

 

“I don’t find it hard not to drink it’s more the pressures from other people to drink.” She said. Echoing this sentiment was fellow a fellow Donegal student Frieda McKusker who said “It’s tough, its more to do with other peoples being uncomfortable that you’re not drinking on a night out”.

 

To get involved with the campaign go to www.HelloSundayMorning.ie

CHOICES… The Good, the bad and the ugly…… By Sean Dunne

“Choice consists of the mental process of judging the merits of multiple options.”

WE all make choices, some good and some bad. We choose to do things that are right and wrong. The choices we, as individuals make are those we must live with, and bear the consequences.

The ending of a life is one such choice, people often times must choose, so what are the choices Irish citizens have?

The right to end one’s own life was decriminalised in Ireland in 1993. Before the Suicide Act 1961, it was a crime to commit suicide and anyone who attempted and failed could be prosecuted and imprisoned. In part, that reflected religious and moral objections to suicide as self-murder.

In 2013, a former lecturer took a high court case challenging the right to assisted suicide in Ireland. The submission was made by counsel for Wicklow woman Marie Fleming, 58, who was taking a landmark case to establish a right to end her life with assistance.

The Supreme Court was been told there is no constitutional right to suicide and that the ban on assisted suicide applies equally to everyone. Suicide was described by state lawyers as a severe social problem in Ireland.

They said “its decriminalisation [suicide] in 1993 doesn't mean there is now a constitutional right to take one's own life.” The case continues with a Supreme Court appeal.

This is where the choice to end one’s own life lies. Where does Ireland sit on the right to end a child’s life? Where do we stand on abortion we hear so much of Pro-Choice vs. Pro- Life? We have seen the images of the beautiful Savita Halappanavar played out across ever media outlet in Ireland in recent months.

Ms Halappanavar presented herself at Galway University hospital, in October 2012. She was 17 weeks pregnant and suffering from a miscarriage. Ms Halappanavar and her husband Praveen were told that the foetus was not viable, not their child but the foetus.

The Indian couple were told by doctors at Galway University hospital that they could not perform an abortion under Irish Law as the foetus heart was still beating. During the next several days, Halappanavar was diagnosed with septicaemias, which lead to multiple organ failure and her death.

Her death reignited a twenty year debate in Irish society and one which brought the younger and less afraid Irish women’s voices to this reigniting of a twenty year debate.

In 1983 The Constitution of Ireland was amended to add the Eight Amendment, which asserted that the unborn had an explicit right to life from the time of conception.

Speaking in NUI Galway last week Dr Nata Duvvury a Women’s right activist who lectures at the University, spoke of Ireland and the abortion debate in a different perspective, a development angle. 

It comes back to the simple word, ‘Choice’. An investigation has proven that if Savita Hallapannavar had been allowed the choice to have an abortion, her life may have been saved. She requested but was denied because of Irish law.

The infamous ‘X’ case was dragged back from the 1980’s and put into a 21^st century context in recent months.

In the ‘X’case a young teenage Irish girl had been raped by a neighbour and became pregnant. X told her mother of suicidal thoughts because of the unwanted pregnancy, and as abortion was illegal in Ireland (in both Northern Ireland and the Republic), the family planned to travel to England for an abortion.

Before the abortion was carried out, the family asked the Garda Síochána if DNA from the aborted foetus would be admissible as evidence in the courts, as the neighbour was denying responsibility. Hearing that X planned to have an abortion, the Attorney General, Harry Whelehan, sought an injunction under Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution of Ireland preventing her from having the procedure carried out.

The ruling was later overturned by a Supreme Court ruling of four to one, but again the right of the mother to choose was almost denied in this case.

Once abortion becomes permissible in a country “any limits to its availability become eroded over time”, Irish Catholic bishops have claimed.

The issue was discussed at the general meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference, which ended on Wednesday March 6th at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth.

The bishops said in a statement they were “deeply concerned” about “any intention” to legislate for abortion in Ireland.

So is the choice to end’s one own life and for women to choose to have an abortion, still about Catholic Ireland and how Catholic Ireland governs the moral decisions of citizens?

For 20 years, the Centre for Reproductive Rights in America has used the law to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfil.

The American centre believes that re-productive freedom lies at the heart of the promise of human dignity, self- determination and equality embodied in both the U.S Constitution and The Universal Declaration of human rights.

Pro-Life abortion campaigners say life is the greatest human right. “It’s not a choice”. Is it just another human right?

If life is our right, then we should have the right to decide what is best for our body and our life.

Strolling through NUI Galway on a Thursday afternoon, the campus is alive with students campaigning to become the next governing body of The Students Union and others campaigning for a ‘No’ vote in the NUIG abortion referendum. 

It made me wonder, Why, Why do we campaign? Does anyone really care about abortion and student politics?

Then it hit my shoe, this leaflet had blown across the quad, but what was it? A leaflet that stated ‘ABORTION? VOTE NO?

It read “One ’CHOICE’ of abortion robs someone else of a lifetime of choices,” was one of the striking statistics staring back at me.  In a sea of words and legislation and even media coverage it’s hard to have an opinion. Yes there is the black and white version of everyone taking the moral high ground.

We are always going to have the situation of ‘could have’, ‘would have’ in Ireland. In the end, none of us know what it feels like to have to make that choice to end a pregnancy unless we are personally thrust into this agonising position.

From the male perspective this is a choice, none of us will ever have to make, while the child could be ours genetically it is foremost a woman’s choice to end a pregnancy or carry a pregnancy to term. No one has the right to tell a woman to give birth or to terminate her child. It truly comes back to “Our body, our choice” and this is why I am a pro-choice supporter.

The Irish Government announced this weekend that they intend to enact its abortion legislation by the end of July, according to information it has supplied to the Council of Europe.

In an update to the Strasbourg-based body, the Government said it planned to publish the Bill by April and enact the legislation by the end of July.

Despite the fact abortion has been legal in circumstances where there is a substantial risk to the life of the mother since a 1992 Supreme Court ruling, successive governments have failed to enact legislation to give full effect to the ruling.

Perhaps now, it is finally time to write the concluding chapter to the book and close the door on debate, once and for all. Is Ireland ready to move forward into a liberal pro-choice 21^st century? 

Time will tell...

Pregnancy, whether it brings the joy of life or the dreaded anguish all mothers make choices. So before we get on our pedestals and moral high ground, just think for a moment; t could happen to your sister, girlfriend or best friend. Then what are the ‘Choices’?

Choices, we make them every single day, the good, the bad, and the ugly ones.

Diary of an M.A.J- The Dreaded “I”

INTERNSHIPS…. The exciting world of the work forces, for some a make or break to the Capital, to other a chance to put five years third level education and two degrees to some use. Oh wait… One small catch in the fine print….

It’s unpaid work experience…So when do we get to remove the “L” plates?

The unsatisfying and dreaded words every third level student must hear from a respective employer. Yes, we are willing to take you on, we are willing to use the skills that you have studied long and hard to achieve, but just read the fine print on your contract.

Ah Yes, the fine print they speak of, is the painstaking clause in the Irish job market which makes Irish graduates so valuable to some very lucrative industries. They now have the ability not to pay for skilled graduates.

The fact is that while companies are willing to take eager young Irish graduates, many potential employers have the power to dangle a prospective job in front of eager emerging University graduates.

 They also have the power not to pay a wage, even though many young interns are putting in 35 plus hours a week.

So who do we blame? The Celtic Tiger, Government officials, or perhaps Corporate Ireland.

So here we are, approaching the end of the M.A in Journalism in NUIG. We have spent months perfecting a palpable set of new and fresh journalistic approaches.

Having invested almost €10,000 euro furthering ones education, to become that shining star in an ever increasing sea of undergraduate degrees, it raises the question about investing the money in a master’s degree programme.  Is the more viable option simply to board the generation emigration train? And get as far away from this economic depression the Emerald Isle has been stuck in.

Wasn’t the whole point of a master’s degree so we would gain employment quicker and get paid for the privilege? Yeah that’s what I thought too. Sadly not!

The post Celtic Tiger fall out continues and for those who were labelled the ‘Celtic tiger cubs’ They now are those who are truly suffering from a previous generation’s mistakes.

Was it really our fault we were born into a country that was flourishing in every capacity, No, is the answer.

We may have been riding high on the sails of the generation that was too busy sweeping the countrys discrepancies under the rug, but it was their discrepancies not ours. 

So why are we still suffering?

Internships are indeed a great step in the door so to speak, especially in a competitive industry such as Journalism but I think the high level of skills achieved in particular a master’s level of education warrant some sort of wage.

Choosing to be a journalist is not just a career choice but more of a life choice, for the past number of months I have become an even larger than life news junkie. Having downloaded every Newspaper APP there is out there, I began to question if I was indeed about to morph into a walking talking newspaper, sadly this hasn’t happened just yet.

Instead I am a walking talking poster child for post Celtic Tiger Ireland. This ‘Celtic Tiger Cub’ is about to complete five years education in two leading Irish Universities. Like so many of my colleagues before me, I am about to become the ‘newbie’, the ‘novice’ in other words the dreaded ‘I’-Intern.

While truly exciting to become an intern, I feel a little hard done by the fact that I will be working a nine to five if not more in a job, but the sad aspect is that the dreaded ‘I’ in essence could easily be called ‘volunteer’.

The job bridging scheme offers those on the live register a chance to return to employment through internships with FÁS where employers pay €50 per week towards the social welfare payment.  This is great in theory but what about us?

It raises the question though why any of us are paying phenomenal fees to Irish Universities to further our education to still have to compete with the sea of undergraduate degrees and now those on the live register.

For now this MAJ student is about to embark on real life. Let’s hope paid internships catch on for those who are invested in not just an education, but investing in Ireland by trying not to become part of the infamous generation emigration.

Circuit Court Judge calls for formation of sentencing council

Circuit Court Judge Tom O’ Donnell has called for the formation of a sentencing council on a statutory basis after hitting out at the Irish media for how it deals with reporting on sentencing at a public event hosted by The Law Reform Commission of Ireland.

Judge O’ Donnell criticised how the Irish media reports on sentencing “Perhaps it is time to consider the formation of a sentencing council on a statutory basis and to produce guidelines on sentencing for the judiciary,” he said.

The believes benefits of such a council would lead to an open, transparent and informed public as to what happens in regard to sentencing and how sentences are structured and imposed.

The Circuit Court Judge recognised the difficulties, where the full facts of the case are not before the public.

Judge O’ Donnell said “Sentencing is a complex area for judges and whether the matter is dealt with by way of a plea or on conviction by a jury, or by a judge alone,”

He believes the benefits of such a council would lead to an open, transparent and informed public as to what happens in regard to sentencing and how sentences are structured and imposed.

He added “Often while the aggravated circumstances are covered by the media, little attention is given to the medicating circumstances.”

The former District Court Judge made the comments at a publically hosted event in NUI Galway on Monday evening. The purpose of the evening was to hear the views of members of the public on what should be contained in the Fourth Programme of Law Reform.

He believes that the public are often not fully informed, which can lead to a ‘warped’ understanding of what has gone on during a trial.

“Judges have to deal with several aspects in sentencing, both the aggravating circumstances and the mitigating side, and must endeavour to impose a sentence which is proportioned within the limits of the sentence in the circumstances of the crime,” he said.

Judge O’ Donnell alluded to a recent lecture in The CCJ hosted by Lord Justice Treacy, which focused on the sentencing council in The U.K. The circuit court Judge said it was his understanding that that Ireland is a long way from The U.K model.

Judge O’ Donnell was nominated by the Government in 2011 to The Circuit Court, having served as The Limerick district court judge for over 12 years.  Speaking in NUIG he said his views expressed were his own and did not represent those of the judiciary.

Others at the event included Tom O'Malley and Donncha O'Connell from the School of Law, NUIG.

Mental Health Concerns grow in The LGBT Community

LAST year in Ireland saw a record number of calls made to The LGBT Helpline. The helpline is a national support service for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Speaking at a volunteer recruitment drive, Paula Fagan said “The LGBT helpline is struggling to meet demand for its services,” Adding to this the Coordinator of the helpline said “We could have answered significantly more calls last year if more volunteers had been available,”

The helpline is calling on more people to get involved to combat the growing concern in calls relating to people’s mental health.

Ms Fagan added that 60 per cent of calls to the service last year were focused on mental health.

“In some cases, callers got in touch because their fear of coming out was causing them anxiety, in other cases, it was to speak about the impact on their mental health of homophobia,” added Ms Fagan.

The LGBT helpline thanked The National Office of Suicide Prevention, for the financial support they have given the service this year. The funding enables the service to continue providing mental health support to LGBT people.

The LGBT helpline received about 10,000 calls last year, but due to lack of funding and volunteers, only a quarter of those were answered.

“Our volunteers do excellent work and thanks to them we were able to extend our opening hours last year” said Ms Fagan.

The demand for the service at the moment is much higher than the service can cope with and this has led to the incentive for the recruitment drive for additional volunteers.

Another issue was also highlighted at the drive and this was the growing need for female volunteers in Dublin. “We have significantly more male than female volunteers in our Dublin centre,” said Ms Fagan.

Surprisingly out of a group of 48 existing volunteers, only 10 are women at the centre.  The LGBT helpline added that they were happy to accept volunteering applications from men, but they urged more women to step up and help out if possible.

The main issues arising in the mental health area for LGBT people were negative reactions from family members or friends. Adding to this was the pressure of isolation, harassment and bullying.

“Unfortunately, some LGBT people feel they don’t get the same level of support as heterosexual people during times of emotional distress added The LGBT helpline.

“The death of a partner can provide a double blow for an LGBT person, because in addition to dealing with their grief, they may not get the same reaction or support that a heterosexual person gets when they lose their spouse.

The LGBT recruitment drive for volunteers will run over the next four weeks and will see a nationwide campaign take place. The service is calling on members of the LGBT to volunteer to help others in need of support.

The LGBT Helpline can be accessed on 1890 929539 or e-mail info@lgbt.ie

LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS

Roses are red, violets are blue, and we all know how that one ends. Yes it’s that time of year again, when women start leaving early hints that they want a grand gesture from their other half, that declaration of love. It’s all about recreating the New York love affair Mr Big and Carrie had in Sex and The City, or is it?

For men Valentine’s Day brings about the shame and embarrassment at having to buy the perfect card that says ‘I love you’. Luckily now the internet solves this mild embarrassment with online sites dedicated to creating the perfect card, and in some cases the entire romantic night. Pass the bucket, I feel ill already.

Eason’s becomes a sea of pink and red, shelves stacked with clichéd romantic cards that make many singletons want to sit in the dark and eat spaghetti hoops while their housemate is being wined and dined by the ‘love of their love’ even though he has given you the eye on occasion.

“Till death do us part” Yeah Right! More like until the next piece of ‘meat’ catches our eye or we go through a midlife crisis and have an affair, but its okay all can be forgiven on Valentine’s Day, with a bunch of roses and a Teddy bear that says “I love you”. Well that’s what happens in the movies so it must be right? WRONG

Whether or not we buy into the most pointless day of the year or not, (Yes I maybe as cynical as a single Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and The City) but this is allowed on occasion.

Stop! Behind that second layer of chocolates you are about to cry into because you’re single there is light at the end of the caramel tunnel.

It turns out St Valentine was in fact a real person, one that didn’t wear a nappy and have a cross and arrow that struck people with the infamous ‘Love Bug’

Did you know that St Valentine was the patron saint of epilepsy? It was news to me too, and no epilepsy is not connected to the devil? This yet again is another myth dispelled by the Catholic Church.

While you are gearing up for the most romantic let down of the year, spare a thought for those affected by an illness which St Valentine himself is said to have been effected by.

To have epilepsy is to have a tendency to have recurring seizures. A seizure is a brief and temporary malfunction of normal brain activity and is often compared to a computer crashing.

Research carried out by Epilepsy Ireland in 2009 found that there are 37,000 (1 in every 115) people with epilepsy in this country and that this number may be increasing.

The exact reason for St Valentine's link to epilepsy is not known for certain; we do know that the link has been reinforced by Christians throughout the ages ever since February 14th was declared to be the Feast Day of Saint Valentine as far back as 496AD.

In parts of Europe, common names for epilepsy have included "Saint Valentine's illness" and "St. Valentine's affliction". There are also hundreds of iconic representations existing today from the 15t century onwards of St. Valentine healing people with epilepsy, particularly in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. They often show the Saint with an adult or a child having a seizure or recovering from a seizure.

St Valentine is also often represented by the symbol of the Rose. Every year, Epilepsy Ireland marks St Valentine's connection to epilepsy through our Valentine's Roses fundraising appeal.

Speaking to a young woman who suffers from the disorder, she spoke of how she went from partying like any other first year to suddenly having no control over her world. It puts the whole notion of love into perspe

ctive.

“It’s hard to deal with sometimes, I only got my first seizure four years ago at a time I was in my prime and starting college. I went from a care free existence to suddenly being very health conscious and I feel this is a condition that young people are not fully aware of,”.

Adding to this she” I now have  to take two tablets twice a day and take much better care of myself than I would have been 4 years ago when my seizures first began,”

It has taken this young woman four years for her seizures to be completely under control but for others this can take longer.

So for all you love sick puppies out there this Thursday put the chocolates and spaghetti hoops away. Being single is probably a blessing at least you don’t have to be that consumer of an all singing and dancing ‘I Love you card’.

The 3rd annual European Epilepsy Day takes place on Monday, February 11th 2013, three days before the feast day of St Valentine, the Patron Saint of Epilepsy.

‘Breaking the Silence’ – Why seeking help is still considered taboo in Irish Society

“We each have a role to play, teachers, friends, parents. We are all developing”

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has announced training for parents of school children as part of the Government’s plan to educate Ireland on the dangers of Cyber bullying.

 It is time for Irish people to step up and play their part in solving one of Ireland’s most frightening problems in the history of the state.

Bullying in schools and the work place has long dominated the Irish existence but the emergence of ‘cyber bullying’ in the past 12 months is a new wave that has gripped society.

As a nation we discussed the economic downturn trying to emerge from the failures of a problem that we chose to brush aside and continued living the Celtic Tiger Lifestyle in which we all had a sense of security within.

The problem which we should have been examining was attitudes to mental health in Ireland and protecting those most vulnerable in society; sadly this did not happen.

As individuals we all struggle to survive from time to time; for many of us it is easy to invest our darkest secrets to those who love us but for many Irish people this is sadly not the case as pre-existing ideology within the Irish diaspora means we are supposed to brush aside the pain and hurt and keep the pretence that life is okay

 Sadly this brushing aside the Irish emotions has tragically seen the rate of Irish suicide increase drastically in the past 14 months in Ireland. The Young Men and Suicide report issued by the cross border Men’s Health Forum in Ireland has found:

Suicide now ranks as a major cause of death among young males in both The Republic & Northern Ireland. The report outlines 12 key recommendations, including the development and promotion of positive models of mental health aimed at young males but this must now be applied on all genders across the island.

In 2012 Cyber bullying was a contributing factor in the deaths of Ciara Pugsley, Erin Gallagher and Minister Shane McEntee who all died by suicide following pressures from online tormentors.

In the Irish context what is needed is to eradicate the ideology of masculine Ireland. Jigsaw Galway is one resource in the West of Ireland that is helping to combat taboo in Irish society regarding mental health.

The organisation particularly deals in teenage mental health issues. It focuses on ‘guided self-help’ and ensuring proper advice and guidance is given to adolescents and parents who have concerns about certain issues facing them and their children.

Research & Community Development Officer at Jigsaw Galway Sarah Simkin says: “Jigsaw Galway is a free and confidential support service for 15 to 25 year olds living in Galway. One of the main aims we have is to help young people to feel stronger and to face whatever difficulty they have.”

The advice coming from JIGSAW Galway and for parents, who have anxieties with the online world that their children are growing up part of, is to approach online bullying the same way as traditional methods were dealt with.

And that official stance was echoed again by Ms Simkin who said:” The approach and advice is very much the same in dealing with online bullying as it was with traditional methods of bullying”. 

Ms Simkin further added: “They best way to deal with online bullying is to ‘block, ‘defriend’, and ‘report’ the online bully.

She further added: “We each have a role to play, teachers, friends, parents. We are all developing”. Incidents of teenage suicide raised an alarming rate at the end of last year. The advice coming from Jigsaw Galway is to talk to a professional.

When a person is distressed enough, they can carry out an act of extreme anger such as suicide. This may be in response to an impulse that may easily be talked out if people break their silence.

Jigsaw Galway has the following advice to offer to people who may have concerns about the behaviour of a friend or family member who may be struggling in life.

“Pick up the phone to Jigsaw Galway or the family doctor and seek advice about how best to approach the situation. Do not be put under pressure to have all the answers, You have to think about what you have noticed, quite often people think everyone is getting on fine but sadly this is not always the case.

Use whatever words are natural for you to that person and this will allow this person the opportunity to open up about issues in their life.

 Often time offering supporting such as attending an organisation like Jigsaw will help to break the taboo that the person may have built up”.

The role Non-Government Organisations (NGO’s) play in the development of a topic such as mental health is vital and the support they offer those falling through the cracks of society.

Another organisation trying to paint a new picture for speaking up and breaking the silence that Ireland has succumbed to for too long is SpunOut Mental Health.

Youth Engagement Officer with SpunOut Ireland John Buckley explains that “Over the past five years we have been in a position where by we provide health information online and give young people an opportunity to have their voice heard in a different way.

The organisation has seen a rise over the last year in aggressive and abusive behaviour online. The role of SpunOut mental health is to give young people a place to express themselves around that behaviour but to also make sure people have access to good quality information and advice to deal with cyber bullying or any online abuse.

The advice Mr Buckley is offering to those affected by online bullying is “Under no circumstances is such abuse acceptable. No one deserves that kind of abuse put on them

“The second piece of advice would be to talk to someone, a trusted adult or friend. The third thing is to record it, take a screen shot on your phone or laptop and save it or print the messages”.

Echoing the message from Jigsaw Galway John adds: “report, block and walk away from it”. The key thing to remember is that when we engage in an online sphere we need to do it in a place we feel safe.

Mr Buckley urged people “Before you click send or type that message think about the impact your words can have on someone, because your words do have a very big impact on other people”. The Youth Engagement Officer spoke of the hurt and pain words can have and can lead to a detrimental effect on people’s mental health who may be struggling.

The advice to parents on issues relating to bullying and mental health is to engage from an early age with your young person. It can be difficult for parents to do this SpunOut realises as young people are the experts in the online sphere and this can take parents a little getting used to.

He urged parents to set good firm boundaries and to ensure children have human empathy. The most important thing to do is to keep dialogue open and trust your young person. The Youth engagement officer further added: “The main message is that under no circumstances is it your fault or is it acceptable” (Cyber bullying).

In the wider mental health spectrum we are vulnerable people, we are all sensitive. In the Irish context we have to have a sense of wellbeing. John Buckley summed up the debate on Irish mental health attitudes “The Heathers {band} have a song “It’s all right not to feel okay”. If only more Irish people would realise this concept then perhaps one of the country’s worst problems would be solved.

Oranmore Native Nuala Keher to spend 6 months volunteering in South Sudan

“I’m at an age in my life and I have been very lucky and had a very successful career, I have done lots of things here in Ireland so I just felt it was the right time

Many of us see retirement as the silver lining to years of hard work and excelling in careers. For many who are now forced into early retirement the thought of endless days of not having their daily routine is quite a daunting prospect. Instead many people are opting not to pick up the golf clubs for endless days on the golf course but instead are using their years of expertise and skills and venturing on a new path, of volunteering abroad

Nuala Keher, originally from Oranmore in Co Galway is about to embark on a six month volunteering programme in South Sudan with VSO Ireland.

The executive Director of EQUAL Ireland and former director of NUI Galway’s open learning centre and CEO of the Lionra Network is taking a career break and moving to one of the world’s newest countries, namely South Sudan in East Central Africa.

Nuala is well known in education and training circles in Ireland. Speaking of the upcoming journey and of the inspiration and influence behind her decision to become a volunteer with VSO Ireland.

 Ms Keher said: “I’m at an age in my life and I have been very lucky and had a very successful career, I have done lots of things here in Ireland so I just felt it was the right time.

“I had the experience and skills and VSO are looking for people with these skills, and they are very interested to transferring those skills to developing countries.”

VSO Ireland is an international development organisation that works through volunteers. Their approach to working and volunteering abroad is quite different to working for other Non-Government organisations.

The oranmore native affectionately referred to her daughter as a “role model” who inspired her to make the decision to go to Sudan and use her expertise to help others. Ms Keher’s own daughter has spent time volunteering in Ethiopia and Kenya. She added that her family have been extremely supportive in her decision as has her employers at EQUAL Ireland.

The Galway educator will be working with the Department of Education in South Sudan and will assume the role and responsibility for teacher training and for developing the capacity of the department to deliver training throughout the country. Her work with EQUAL Ireland has provided hundreds of adults with routes back into education.

Ms Keher says:” The work I am going to be doing is about is about training people there, who in turn will train others” adding to this: “I feel it is the right time to make a contribution, if I can, to people worse off than ourselves, I know this will not be easy but equally I am convinced that it will be worthwhile” said Ms Keher.

The Galway woman spoke of what an exciting opportunity it is for her and added; “I’m hoping from my experience I will leave behind some skilled people who can maybe train others and be able to establish a good education system for their people”.

Ms Keher says:” I am nervous, but also looking forward to it, VSO Ireland has done a lot of training around the culture change”. Adding to this she says:” You never can be prepared for everything”.

The temperatures will be soaring into the high 40’s so this is one part of the journey that will take some getting used to for the Galway woman.

Marketing and Communications Advisor Donnacha Maguire with VSO Ireland explains that the NGO works in 19 countries across Africa & Asia. On an international level VSO is working in over 33 countries. The main area of focus is within health, education and securing livelihoods ensuring people have an adequate income to pay for education and health services.

A key focus area under these three sectors is gender equality and climate change which are interwoven. The NGO wants better equality in terms of women in developing countries and to ensure young girls have access to education.

An emerging trend in volunteers for overseas projects has seen a surge in early retirees applying. Mr McGuire remarks on the change in image of the type of volunteer they now receive. This has seen a shift towards early retirees offering up their services as public sector redundancy plans in the past two years have awarded such people the options to spend time volunteering. Adding to this he said: “This has increased the pool of applications,” he says

 With the current economic climate still at a low, people’s commitment levels have changed. There are now people who cannot commit to voluntary programmes because they have mortgage repayments to meet, and other such obligations to fulfil.  A lot of people are struggling to meet mortgage repayments in this country. VSO has seen increases in private sector applications and a lessening to the public sector. This is largely to do with our economy at present in Ireland.

“We feel that sending people skills and abilities over the developing countries have a far greater and longer lasting impact in terms of fighting poverty than simply sending cash resources” says Mr McGuire.

Echoing this sentiment says: “We feel a person’s time and skills and resources are of far greater importance than the cash they can raise”. 

VSO organise fundraisers prior to volunteer’s departures to raise awareness of the organisation. VSO do ask volunteers to do some fundraising which is about 1500 euro.

One of the striking elements is that people being forced into early retirement due to fears to cuts in redundancies and pension plans are not ready to retire in the majority of cases. Work is often a social element to many people’s lives and the keen upsurge in retirees going abroad to volunteer shows their willingness not to be defeated by bureaucracy.

Those who are choosing to volunteer through VSO will be lucky enough that the NGO supports their volunteers financially throughout the duration of the project. VSO provide a living allowance for volunteers while they are working in a country to fund such things as work, travel, vaccinations and on-going care.

VSO Ireland looks at the ‘long term’ as projects are usually between one and two years in duration. Mr McGuire says “We send volunteers for longer periods as it has greater impact”. In comparison to other NGO’s VSO don’t send teachers to teach in a class or nurses to work directly in a hospital. We would send those professionals to work in either the teaching training or nurse’s colleges to help train other professionals. This helps improve the overall standards of care and education.

The vision for 2013 from VSO Ireland is to increase the number of volunteers going to Africa and Asia.

“Ireland has a strong tradition of volunteering overseas, historically through the missions but lately through lay organisations” says VSO’s Marketing and Communications Advisor.

Adding to this Mr McGuire adds:” I think despite economic conditions in Ireland there is still considerable interest to volunteer overseas and to improve, share skills and improve the lives of people

“I think it’s something within the Irish psyche that we like supporting other countries and developing organisations because we know how hard it is to get off the ground and get going as a country”.

VSO Ireland is currently recruiting experienced, qualified professionals in the area of health, education, business management and IT for one or two year placements. If you are interested in finding out more information on VSO Ireland visit www.vso.ie or call 01 640 1060. To support Nuala Keher’s vision you can visit her mycharity.ie to make a contribution

Thatching Ireland – A Return to tradition or a dying dynasty?

A recent restoration project in Co Laois led to the question being raised as to where traditional craftmanship falls against the back drop of post Celtic Tiger Ireland. With so many young people emigrating will traditional craftsmanship become a dying trade?

SET in the majestic Laois countryside, the backdrop to this  thathching restoration project on a once family home built in the 1800’s has captured the attention of a community as it is a rarity in our current economic climate to see a tradition such as thatching in action.

The once occupied rural cottage has been in The Dunne family since the early 18^th century and is now a protected landmark within the locality. The small cottage still has the crisp essence of traditional Ireland.  As you unlock the yellow half door and walk into a kitchen you are instantly transported back to what life in Ireland used to be like.

The dusty plates on the dresser and the pots hanging over the open fire are a testiment to what life was like for a generation pre Celtic tiger.

At the height of the Celtic Tiger, Ireland’s building trade was at the tip of the economic boom. All tradesmen had a plentiful supply of work as housing estates and office blocks appeared to spread further throughout Ireland.

 The harsh reality is that most building work has long since ceased and developers have now gone into receivership. Ghost estates lie empty and workers who once occupied the offices are signing on in their local social welfare office.

It raises a valid question in a fledging economic crisis is Irelands craft  industry about to see a surge in traditional means of earning a living or will such trades become a distant memory as so many of young Irish people must now emigrate in search of a work.

The process of thatching truly is a tradition deep rooted in most Irish communities but sadly many people let the tradition die, and the sight of a thatched building in the majestic rural landscapes of Ireland is now a rarity.                    Attitudes towards conservation of such building perhaps lie more with the older generation of Ireland, more so than the “Celtic Tiger babies” who are now, readjusting to a more simpler Ireland than the one they were conceived in.

None the less such projects are of great importance, however like most things in Ireland, keeping a tradition alive comes with a hefty price tag which is no real great shocker in Irish society.

The Department of Environment offers some assistance towards the financial implications of such a project, a grant of two-thirds of the approved cost of renovatiing thatched roofs of owner occupied houses.

A further level of financial assistance is available up to 5,714 euro for houses on specific offshore islands. The Department of Environment issues houses with a medical card with thatching grants of up to a maximum of 6,350 euro.

However locals in Co Laois, they critised the emerging new generation of thatchers which the FÁS scheme creates. The new generation are just out to make a “quick buck” says one disenchanted farmer by trying to charge astonishing prices in comparasion to what it used to cost.

The FÁS Thatcher Traineeship aims to provide unemployed people with a grounding and necessary skill basis to gain practical experience in the sector. The course is 51 weeks in total with 35 weeks off the job training and 16 weeks on the job training. However Carmel Higgins of the Galway FÁS Branch explained how costly the course was on them and that placement was hard sought. She adds that the course has not been run in recent years and was not in the “pipeline for 2013”.

Criticism however, for such emerging new “skill sets” comes with a price tag that is just not feasable against the current economic climate.  Is this why we see so little of traditional Ireland in our cosmopolitian landscape?

Paul Johnson is one local thathcher based in Co Galway who has his thatching business part time as there is just not enough money in it nowdays to pay the bills. He also works as an electronic engineer. Paul was formally trained in the UK to become a master thatcher that can take six years.

Mr Johnson spoke of the FÁS scheme to train Irish thatchers. He is dismayed at how young thatchers are not inspired by the craft, which is seen as a means to get them off the dole and then move on to another course.

The system in Ireland however does appear to have flaws. If it takes a six year process in the UK to become a master thatcher and learn the heritiage behind the crafsman ship then how can FÁS be training people in a 52 week period?

Local people in Laois spoke of the “cowboy” system so perhaps learning a trade in such a quick period of time is alluding to this generalisation with all traditional craft in the Emerald Isle.

Paul Johnson expressed concern of having to compete with FÁS trained thatchers: “We have been competed with by FÁS trainees who have not even a year experience under their belt, who are going out and underpricing us”, he says

“They are providing services with vey little or no experience, very little portfolio work and basically undermining the skills set needed to do something that is highly experience based, a craft that takes years to perfect

He adds:”There is no regulatory body in Ireland, so you can go out tomorrow and set yourself up as a thatcher and use customers as guinea pigs”.

A Work in Progress but at what cost?

The restoration project in Co Laois, takes about 250 bundles of straw. The straw has to be specially cut with an old type binder and put into a rick and trashed. It is a process that has long been carried out in a piece of heritiage such as the Laois cottage.

The last person to live in the house was William Dunne who was the grandson of William SR and Elizabeh Dunne. Tragically William died   just a few hundred yards from his home, stepped in local history following a road traffic accident in 1994.

Mr Johnston voiced concern to attitudes in Ireland nowdays. He said:”In Ireland, in a recession people think, some people; spending little money will save them lots of money but this is not always true”.

There appears to be the traditional Irish couple he explained who have lived in the traditional sense of Ireland all their lives and thatching their house is a necissity, but sadly have little to pay for restoration.

There are those on the middle ground, who are willing to take out perhaps a loan to carry out essential maintenance and perhaps go a little further. Lastly there are those who see thatching as an invesment particularly in a new build.

The question lies though should thatchers not be willing to set prices that adhears to the tradition it represents and perhaps that 80 year old man or woman who need the maintenance but can only afford so much?

Celtic Tiger Ireland saw tradition go out the window. People stepped over pennies on the street. Now we see people search the streets to pick up those fallen coins.

The image of a traditional Ireland and perhaps taking thatching as an example was as Mr Johnston put it “A fella pulling up with a donkey, a bottle of poitin and a bag of spuds” This was the man that would thatch the roof for a fair price.

In today’s cosmopolitian Ireland, an Ireland that is batting through the latter half of a recession, when emigration is rampant perhaps one solution to solving Ireland’s problems is a return to traditionalism?

Traditional Ireland was not materialistic in Celtic Tiger Ireland. The tradition was always the family and the home.

Restoration efforts such as the Co Laois project is perhaps one step in the right direction of keeping alive a part of Ireland that seems to be forgotten about.

After all it’s not a house that makes it a home, it’s the family inside. As the great great grandson of William Dunne it was a proud moment to see three generations stand around and watch a house become alive again even if it was just a new straw roof.

Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson said last week: “That Ireland will emerge stronger from the current economic crisis” is true.

It’s the Irish tradition to keep the faith and perhaps a return to tradition is what this country has been missing.