Joanne to trek up Slieve Foy this Friday as part of 26 peaks challenge

Joanne Treacy

On Friday Joanne Treacy will begin her trek up Slieve Foy as part of her attempt to conquer Ireland’s 26 mountain peaks in just ten days. Joanne’s challenge is in support of Headstrong, a non-profit organisation supporting young people’s mental health in Ireland.

“I really enjoy these kind of challenges where it is as much or maybe even more, a mental challenge as a physical one. It’s amazing what you can convince your body to do when you’re in the right frame of mind and it’s very empowering in normal life to know you can push yourself. I guess that is why I wanted to do this to support a mental health charity and use it as a way to do something positive and useful to raise awareness and support for positive mental health.

“I picked Headstrong as the charity as I think it is fantastic that they are focused specifically on Youth mental health needs, with Jigsaw offering support directly but also including and offering support to others concerned with young people in a community like parents; teachers; sports clubs etc. I really like that they are concerned about changing attitudes; attitudes to how we view mental health issues, but also how we approach addressing them. They are practical and positive and definitely deserve our support,” Joanne says.

The number one health issue for young people is their mental health. About 70% of health problems and most mortality among the young arise as a result of mental health difficulties and substance-use disorders (McGorry, 2005). Almost 75% of all serious mental health difficulties first emerge between the ages of 15 and 25 (Hickie, 2004; Kessler et al, 2005; Kim-Cohen et al, 2003).

Headstrong is leading the change across Ireland in youth mental health. Through research, engagement and service provision in the form of the Jigsaw Programme which operates in conjunction with the HSE and partners, we represent a new approach to promoting and supporting positive youth mental health.

Joanne is aiming to raise €5000 in support of Headstrong’s work. Donations can be made online at http://www.mycharity.ie/event/joanne_treacys_event/ and you can follow how Joanne gets on through twitter @climbeverymtn32  and @HeadstrongYMH

Warning issued about break-ins at local tourist spots

Templetown Beach yesterday

Gardaí have warned car owners to be careful of leaving valuables on view in their cars while visiting tourist spots around the county.

The good weather has people flocking to beaches and walkways around Louth and that has led to an increase in break-ins to vehicles at such locations.

Last weekend two cars in the North Louth area were broken into. On Sunday a car parked at Slieve Foy in Carlingford was left unlocked while its owner went for a walk around 3.15pm. When they returned the window had been broken and a handbag had been taken.

The following day at Templetown beach a phone was taken for a car after the window was left slightly open because of the warm weather.

A further car was also damaged the previous week at Ravensdale Park on Saturday June 7^th but nothing was taken despite the window being broken.

Sinéad’s Lego track to appear on TV3’s Late Lunch today

The Lego-based video which a local family shot for singer/songwriter Sinéad McNally’s single ‘Just For Today’ will be featured on TV3’s Late Lunch Live today between 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Clodagh Carthy (née Malone), and her family were behind the creation of the new video, taking ‘Lego Sinéad’, around with them for much of last year. Amongst the locations they filmed in was in and around their native Jenkinstown and on Slieve Foy Mountain.

Clodagh shot the video after taking inspiration from Sinead’s track ‘Just For Today’ – from her 10,000 EP – following the death of her husband Ciarán from suicide last January. Amongst those involved in the video were her children Donal (12), Aisling (14) and Eoin (9).

To mark the video’s release, Sinéad has offered to donate all proceeds of the song to anti-depression charity Aware.

Meanwhile, Lego have also shown their support for the track by Tweeting Sinead a message. They said: “This is a beautiful song and video. Clodagh’s story is moving and inspirational. Thank you for showing us.”

You can read the full, moving story behind the video here.