Tackling mental health in Louth

A national festival aimed at challenging mental health stigma is coming to Louth in January.

First Fortnight is a two-week mental health arts festival that has been staged in Dublin and venues nationwide since 2009.

The festival stages arts events in the hope that they will provoke discussion around mental health and end the stigma that can prevent people from seeking help when they most need it.

The acclaimed Irish film The Drummer And The Keeper will be screened in the Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda on Tuesday 9th January at 8pm. The film was written and directed by Nick Kelly.

Speaking about the stigma that exists in Ireland around both autism and mental health, Nick said: “I think most people are intellectually more aware of the existence and prevalence of both Autism and Bipolar than they might have been, say, 30 years ago. But in terms of really understanding, accepting and making room in work and life for people with these challenges, I would say as a society we still have huge distance to go.’