Gerry Counihan's Podcast

I met Declan and Anthony, part of a four-man group of mental health service users who are battling for recognition and a meaningful role in society. To this end, they are running a social club in Dalkey every Friday night for other service users - this is called the Troy Social Club. They are also lobbying the government for a venture called the Acorn Project, which basically seeks funding to employ service users in the area of Health. They insist that they have had enough courses, and now they wish to participate like everybody else in society - by working and feeling useful.Gerardcounihan@gmail.com. Thank you for listening.

Richard is beating his mental illness and wants to de-stigmatise Schizophrenia. He has written a book called The Mood Swings, which describes among other things how he and a group of friends formed a music group. A good read, but the message is that Richard and others like him want to participate in society. One proposal Richard makes is 'shadow working', where he or his fellow men and women can break into the world of work. The latter is perhaps vital if a person wants to feel 'useful', or if one is searching for a meaning in life. gerardcounihan@gmail.com. Thank you for listening.

NUI Masters in Anthropology student Malise Gibney and myself start off talking about cars and why people buy them. The conversation embraces rebel youth, the car as an element of the persona, the respectable car, SUV owners, fear,the scratched car, the intelligent car, the car as a refuge,a social space, a private sphere, testosterone, status ... Women and cars, woman as equals. And lots more. Thank you Malise. Thank you for listening. I am at gerardcounihan@gmail.com.

An interview with organist Peter Barley, and piano teachers Rhona Gouldson & Marie. Thank you all. Thank you for listening. gerardcounihan@gmail.com

A conversation with Aisling Curtin on the work of Act Now Ireland.Acceptance & Commitment Training (ACT) is a mindfulness-based values-guided training that helps people to get the most out of their lives. ACT teaches skills to manage thoughts an emotions more effectively while also making contact with what matters most to you. There is a large and growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of ACT across a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, weight-loss & quality of life. ACT Now Ireland offers a wide range of workshops, including some free events, and groups nationally. For more information & free resources, please see www.ACTNowIreland.com or find ACT Now Ireland on Facebook & Twitter. Thanks Aisling. Thank you all for listening. My mails are gerardcounihan@gmail.com and counihang@hotmail.com

A short, quirky look at money; how important it is; having no money; having money to spare and investing it in an ethical manner. Is it still the root of all evil? Comments and ideas to gerardcounihan@gmail.com or counihang@hotmail.com. Thanks all for contributing. Thanks for listening. Spread the word.

With toastmaster Ted Corcoran and after-schools co-ordinator, Celine, I discuss the issue of literacy in her Sheriff St community. We talk about words, accent and language. Celine talks about community, and briefly about her public speaking, and how she developed her own career. A thought-provoking programme. In general, one of the points raised is: does your life depend on words and language, to some extent? Listen up and please feel free to mail me at gerardcounihan@gmail.com or counihang@hotmail.com.

A BAI-funded programme and part of a series of six programmes dealing with mental health. It is presented & produced by Heather Mc Leod and Gerard Counihan from Dublin City FM 103.2. This show focuses mainly on anorexia; looks at its prevalence; possible causes and how it is being tackled. Made with sensitivity, this programme hopes to play a positive part in the management of eating disorders. Contributors are: Valerie Freeman, http://ipmed.org/; Ruth Ni Eidhin, http://www.bodywhys.com/ and former Irish Times journalist Fiona Mc Cann, who battled with the condition herself. Please feel free to mail me at counihang@hotmail.com. Thank you all for contributing. Thank you for listening.

A conversation with Donal Dorr about social justice. I was in a charity shop some time ago and bought a copy of his 1991 book on this and related themes. Donal kindly agreed to talk to me, and we broached the environment, poverty and inequality. I hope always to remember one thought that occurred to me after meeting Donalparaphrasing) It is natural to want to "succeed" in life, but not by trampling on others. There is much more to say, but why be long-winded here - have a listen! Ideas and comments to counihang@hotmail.com. Check out donaldorr.com, too.

A BAI-funded programme dealing with the relationship between society and "the car". Speaking on a range of angles are: Dr Noel Kavanagh, Carlow college; rally champion Rosemary Smith; Francis Rubalcava and mechanic of 56 years, Eamonn Byrne; Malise Gibney, Maynooth University anthropology student; Reginald Plunkett, former president of Vintage Car Club; Paul Kelly, founder of Mini Club; Malcom a fellow car enthusiast; Frank Mc Nally, Irish Times journalist. Thank you all for your contributions. Thank you all for listening. Ideas and comments to counihang@hotmail.com

A lively and unusual look at the place the car has in society. This is the full interview that Dr Kavanagh gave towards the BAI-funded programme - I Love My Car. Thank you Noel. Thank you for listening. Appreciate comments and ideas to counihang@hotmail.com

A BAI-funded programme under the Sound and Vision scheme. This part seeks to build on the introduction to toastmasters and topics and get the girls to expand on a typical contribution. One main aim is to have the girls prepare a few notes detailing different aspects of what they speak about.This means that their mini speeches will be a bit more substantial and informative. These are the girls of 6th class primary school - St Laurence O Toole's on Sheriff St in Dublin.Thanks girls; after-school coordinator Celine; teacher and SNA Alison Joyce and Sharon; expert Toastmaster Ted Corcoran, and TCD linguist Dr Jeff Kallen. Make the effort to listen to this show, because there is more than language at play here.Mail me comments, ideas and suggestions at counihang@hotmail.com. Thank you.

A BAI-funded radio programme under the Sound & Vision scheme. We meet the girls from 6th class primary school, St Laurence O Toole's on Sheriff St, Dublin. They show their communication skills; expert Toastmaster Ted Corcoran guides the session; teacher Alison and SNA Sharon keep an eye; after-school coordinator Celine makes insightful comments on literacy and communication in the inner city; Dr Jeff Kallen from TCD elaborates on the power of language and communication. Thank you all for your contributions. I hope you enjoy the show. Comments and ideas to counihang@hotmail.com

This radio programme was supported by the Broadcasting authority of Ireland under the sound and vision scheme. Dr Noel Kavanagh from Carlow IT talks to Dublin City FM 103.2 about how the Irish pub has evolved into a more sophisticated domain, where leisure is packaged and sold as a product. As a result, the "local" is fast disappearing, to be replaced by a "product". Ger Counihan counihang@hotmail.com

A lively conversation with Paddy McGowan and Liam Mac Gabhann from DCU. Trialogues are a unique series of open dialogue forums about mental
health which can radically alter people's understandings of and response to mental health difficulties. With escalating rates of depression and suicide in Ireland, we believe community dialogue and action about mental health is crucial to the wellbeing of individuals, families, communities and society. International experience of these Mental Health Trialogues is that these forums can empower communities to take ownership of mental health, as opposed to leaving it in the hands of specialist professionals or hidden behind institutional walls. Mental health is an ongoing, open community conversation.Paddy and Liam were also responsible for the recent publication for Amnesty on Discrimination and Mental Health in Ireland.For more information, mail Lorna Ní Chéirín at lorna.NiCheirin@dcu.ie.Mob: 087-7722217. www.trialogue.co. Thank you for listening. counihang@hotmail.com

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