Author: Hazelwood College

Parents Association Hazelwood College Invites Mr Alan Quinlan to address Staff & Students on Mental Health.
November 30th 2015
By: Joan Twohill, Secretary.

The Monday morning blues were short lived in Hazelwood College last week, where students and staff were treated to a visit from Retired Irish Rugby Union Player and Positive Mental Health Ambassador Mr Alan Quinlan. Alan is a 2 time Heineken Cup winner and was in fact voted ‘’ Man of the Match’’ as Munster beat Toulouse in 2008 when Munster won the Heineken Cup for the second time. Alan Quinlan was part of the selection panel to play in the 2003 & 2007 Word Cups, retiring from Rugby in 2011.

Alan has spoken many times and has written about his own experiences of Mental Health, depression, anxiety and how he realised the importance of seeking help in his recovery played.

In Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher on Monday 30th November last, Alan Quinlan delivered an inspiring speech to over 600 Students and their teachers, reinforcing the importance of looking after our Mental Health. One could hear a pen drop in the room as Alan spoke of his own personal struggle with Mental Health. He gave some great advice to all of us, for example the importance of shearing our worries and fears with those around us, that we might look great on the outside but we never know how one is feeling on the inside. Exercise, Diet , hobbies, staying away from drugs & smoking all play a huge role in Positive Mental Health Wellbeing.

It is important to take time out to ask the person beside us ‘’ how are you ?’’ Simple but shows we care.
Alan Quinlan’s message with regard to Mental Health Awareness complimented the great work in this area already being carried out by the Students in Hazelwood College and their teachers. The School has entered in the Mental Health Association’s Public Speaking Competitions for a number of years, having won the Limerick County Final three times and making it to the All Ireland Semi Final stages.

This helped enormously to remove the stigma attached to speaking out about mental health, making Hazelwood College a better and safer place to be in for both students and Teachers.

‘’ In life we cannot stop the waves of challenge that we are continually faced with , At times we need help in figuring out how to conquer problems and really the solution is to talk and keep talking and sharing our worries and woes’’ This is a Quote from a Leaving Cert Student, Mary Cussen, who was preparing her speech for the Schools next Debate.

The Parents Association of Hazelwood College would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Alan Quinlan for his Inspiring visit to our School, to the Principal Mr Brendan Burke and his Staff, for facilitating this visit and we hope that this day will have a long-lasting special effect on us all.

I leave you with a lovely Quote which I came across recently.
‘’Never give up on someone with a Mental Illness. When ‘’ I ‘’ is replaced by ‘’ We ‘’ illness becomes Wellness. – Shannon L. Alder