Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, Visits our Information Centre and Offices

The Taoiseach Mr Enda Kenny visited our Information and Offices recently where he presented prizes and certificates to pupils from Primary Schools throughout Mayo who participated in the association’s Art Poster Competition. Mr Kenny said the response to the project by these young people who took part.

The competition, organised by Mayo Mental Health Association asked pupils to reflect on and interpret a positive mental health theme in art form. 
The Taoiseach  also congratulated the Association on winning the 2011 Mayo Meitheal award and he thanked members for their continued voluntary work in the area of promoting positive mental health and in their concerns for the psychiatrically ill.

TAOISEACH PRAISES PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH IN THE YOUNG.

An art poster competition, geared for primary schools and designed to create an awareness of positive mental health among the young, came in for praise from Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, who presented prizes to the participants.

The competition, organised and run by the Mayo Mental Health Association, asked students to reflect on the interpret a mental health theme in art form. The response was amazing and the Taoiseach, said it was obvious young people were very perceptive when it comes to mental health and positive mental health in particular. Deputy Kenny congratulated the association on their Meitheal award and thanked them for their continued voluntary work in the area of promoting positive mental health and their concern for the psychiatrically ill. He said “From my dealing with young people I find them most perceptive and clearly from the exhibits these young people have very clear perceptions of what positive mental health is all about.

Mr P.J. Murphy, chairman of the Mayo Mental Health Association, said a key part of the role of the Mayo Mental Health Association was in education. He added “We have a public speaking project which is geared for the Secondary School students and it has been a valuable vehicle in our drive to promote positive mental health amongst teenagers but we felt it important to home in on the primary schools where many young minds are shaped and attitudes formed at a very early stage.
“The response to the poster project has been fascinating and it is wonderful to see how these young people have dealt with the theme – Positive Mental Health – and how they can portray those thoughts and feelings in art form”.

Mr Murphy thanked the parents and teachers who gave their support to the project. Project Coordinator, Karen Serantes, thanked the sub Committee who had been involved in promoting and adjudicating the project.

The competition was broken down into various categories and the following were the results:-

First, Alan Cirkelis, St Patrick’s BNS Castlebar 
Second, Conor Gibbons, Lankhill NS. 
Third, Poledra Ni Bhriain, Scoil Raifteir, Castlebar. 
Fourth, Cathy Barrett, Belmullet N.S. 
Outstanding Competition, Mairead Ni Eineachain, Scoil Raifteri, Castlebar. 
Best Use of Perspective, Shannon Keane, Mount Pleasant N.S. Claremorris. 
Best Use of Colour, Grainne O’Flynn, St Angela’s N.S. Castlebar.
Best Slogan, Katie Kelly, Belmullet N.S.  
Most Humorous, Riobeard O’Falluin, Scoil Raifteri, Castlebar.
Certificates of Merit were presented to Jurylyn Valesco, St Angela’s N.S. Castlebar and Jane Linehan, Belmullet N.S.