Press Release: Limerick Lights Up In Green to mark the launch of Limerick Mental Health Week 2021 and Commemorate Lives Lost to Covid

Press Release: 27^th September 2021

Limerick Mental Health Association Launch Programme of Events for Limerick Mental Health Week 2021

Limerick Mental Health Association today launched their programme of events for Limerick Mental Health Week (8^th – 15^th October). Now in its 16^th year, Limerick Mental Health Association promotes positive mental health across Limerick City and County.

Limerick Council Chambers, King John’s Castle, University of Limerick, Mary Immaculate College and the Clayton Hotel will all light up in green, as the Ilen, the last of Ireland’s traditional wooden sailing ships, sails from Shannon Estuary to Limerick City at the Clayton Hotel at 7.30pm on Friday October 8^th. On board the Ilen, Mayor Daniel Butler will officially launch Limerick Mental Health Week with an act of commemoration for the 294 Limerick people who have lost their lives to Covid. The Mayor will be joined by singer Emma Langford and Olympian Roisin Upton.

The Ilen will be illuminated in green and flanked by boats from the Civil Defence. Due to Covid and public safety requirements, the public are asked not to gather for this event. However, the event will be live-streamed to the public (details can be found on www.limerickmentalhealth.ie). Members of the public are invited to join in online by posting pictures of themselves wearing something green on social media to support the launch of Limerick Mental Health Week. Also included in the programme is a series of public talks, workshops, events and yoga. 

Limerick has the highest suicide rate in the country, and the highest rate of suicide among young adult males. Limerick Mental Health Association has seen demand for services more than double since March this year. In March 2021 they had 156 service users. As of July 31 2021, they had 365.  

Dr. Lisa O’Rourke Scott, Chair of Limerick Mental Health Association said:

“We want to bring mental health into everyday conversations and Limerick Mental Health Week will provide that forum to generate discussion and promote positive mental health in the local community because we believe that looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health. Now more than ever, we need to highlight the range of supports and services, which are available for everybody across the county of Limerick. We would like people to explore as many of our events throughout the week as possible.”

Dr. Lisa O’Rourke Scott, Chair of Limerick Mental Health Association

Morgan Mangan, Strategy and Compliance Director at Limerick Mental Health Association said:

“One of the highlights of Limerick Mental Health Week includes the sailing of The Ilen into Limerick City, with some special guests on board, at dusk on Friday the 8^th of October. The Ilen will be illuminated in green to mark the launch of Limerick Mental Health Week and we encourage everyone in Limerick to follow its progress online and get involved on social media by posting photos of themselves wearing green using the hashtags #WearGreenBeSeen and #LimerickMHW. The idea of lighting up the buildings and the Ilen itself in green is to shine a light on mental health, and for the Limerick community to come together to commemorate the 294 lives lost in Limerick to Covid.”

Morgan Mangan, Strategy and Compliance Director at LMHA

Mayor Daniel Butler, Roisin Upton, and Emma Langford will place 30 white roses on the river to commemorate the lives lost to Covid.

Speaking at the launch of Limerick Mental Health Week, Mayor of Limerick Daniel Butler said: 

“We would like to use this launch to highlight the importance of the community coming together to openly discuss mental health – an issue of critical importance in Limerick. The past 18 months has proved challenging for many individuals in Limerick and Limerick Mental Health Association has seen a huge increase in the demand for services. Unfortunately, Limerick has the highest suicide rates in the country and more support is required in the county.

It’s also important that we keep talking about mental health all year round and not just during Limerick Mental Health Week.

I’m calling on the people of Limerick to get behind Limerick Mental Health Week, to get involved in as many of the events during the week as possible and to share their experience on social media ”

Daniel Butler, Mayor of Limerick

Hashtags are #WearGreenBeSeen and #LimerickMHW

Follow us on social media for all the latest news on Limerick Mental Health Week 2021 and links to the online event’s livestreams:

Facebook – @LimerickMHA
Twitter – @LimerickMHA
Instagram – @LimerickMHA
LinkedIn – @limerickmentalhealth
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqXToxJ_w9hGfTXQA6Mu6TQ/videos

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Download the official Programme for Events for Limerick Mental Health Week pdf