Popping The Bubblewrap

Principal Harper SAT13MAY23

t’s the morning after a pretty remarkable night in Greystones’ Whale Theatre.

It felt like everyone was there, from Bressie and Flynnstone #1 to Ministers Harris and Donnelly.

And sitting front and centre-row, the most important guests of the night – the town’s eight primary school principals.

The occasion was the official launch of It Takes A Village, an initiative that hopes to offer some real one-on-one support and both professional and practical advice when it comes to addressing the surge in mental health issues among our kids – many having recently stepped back out into the real world dazed and confused after two years of lockdown bubblewrapping.

Amber Kilkenny & Hailey Foley

Covid robbed these children of two years of social growth, many instead turning to the morphine of social media – where, Stephen Donnelly points out, the likes of Facebook and TikTok “thrive on the business of hate”. Clickbait being all about the exclamation mark.

“They’re also overwhelmed by a world that’s moving too fast,” said Bressie on the night. “On top of that, you have to let your kids feel their emotions – the good, the bad and the ugly. Accept those emotions, let them work through them…

“Avoidance is the root of all anxiety.”

The demand for mental health services rose 33% from 2020 to 2021.

Already garnering attention in the national media, with interviews in the likes of The Irish Times and The Irish Independent, as well as on irelandam, the hope is that Greystones can create a blueprint of support systems for children suffering from anxiety, and that blueprint can then be copy-and-pasted around the country.

Harper’s Bazaar

Ireland is the place, after all, that swiftly embraced creating autism-friendly towns and throwing our arms around same-sex marriage, along with the banning of plastic bags, and sending smokers out in the rain. Where they belong. Having supports such as a play therapist visiting your school every week for any kids battling with mental health issues is something that would be no doubt also be welcomed by every man, woman and, yep, child.

Last night’s town meeting reflected that, with all those present recognising the importance of an initiative like It Takes A Village. And with Jennifer Whitmore TD joining the campaign alongside Donnelly and Harris last night, it would appear that it’s only a matter of time and securing the budget before this blueprint is a reality.

On that front, Stephen Donnelly revealed on the night that he’s setting up a meeting with Minister For Mental Health, Mary Butler, so Rachel can plead her case. The fact that there is €5m earmarked for pilot projects such as It Takes A Village will help.

It’s still early days, but all signs point to a positive outcome, in every sense of the term, as we help our kids become warriors, no worriers.

Which may explain why the Harper lass is so dang chipper this morning…

McParland, Harper, Harte & Harte

But first, big shout-out to the many people involved in last night’s coming together, including Ross McParland and his Whale crew, PR guru Garrett Harte and his better half, Nicky, MC Andrea Splendori, Laura Bourne, Alan Rowlette and the other 347 photographers on the night, those VIP guest speakers (including Greystones Community College students Amber Kilkenny and Hailey Foley) and those eight clever principals who sparked this whole idea.

Now, on with our incredibly insightful, heartfelt and perhaps even seminal interview…

You can check out Alan Rowlette’s fine photosnaps from the night here, and find out more about It Takes A Village over here.