Mental Health & The Rural West, Ireland 1968
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- čas přidán 14. 06. 2022
- What causes the high rate of mental illness in the west of Ireland?
A man who spent a long time living in the west of Ireland believes social conditions have a large impact on mental health.
One sees a lot of old bachelors and old maids living alone, they become odd, this may be some way connected with emigration also because it’s well known the best emigrate and then the weakest remain on, and they find themselves cut away from life.
He saw four people in two counties in the west of Ireland fall under the impact of powerful missionary speakers which led them to
Develop certain complexes and became mad.
He also recalls meeting a young priest in the west who underwent psychiatric treatment because of his loneliness. This priest lived on an island in the Atlantic ten miles off the west coast of Ireland.
At night-time as he saw cars coming and going on the mainland he felt like going off his mind, actually he nearly did.
In certain parts of Ireland where people in one village are all related,
Blood thins out and insanity happens, just as we have seen it happen among the royal families of Europe.
If people drink badly made poteen, particularly in large quantities,
It has the effect of upsetting them mentally.
On the whole, however,
Emigration and loneliness has a great deal to do with it, and the fact that in many places in the west there is no social life.
This episode of ‘7 Days’ was broadcast on 11 October 1968. The reporter is Ted Nealon.
Ah yes the famous RTE sound effects crew that went on to work on iconic projects such as The Exorcist and Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Don't pay too much attention to all of that misery. Unfortunately there is isolation and depression everywhere, even in urban meccas like London and New York. I grew up in that region of the West of Ireland and I can tell you all right now that as teenagers we had a great time, way way more freedom and action and parties than our cousins living in cities. They envied us and when we took them out during their visits, they found it amazing, especially when we were chatting up girls and ordering food in Gaeilge.
Feck me that sound track is enough to tip anyone over the edge.😱
Listening to that music would drive ya mad
After hearing that music, I now have two pencils stuck up my nostrils and saying "Wibble" a lot.
Whoever thought that lad how to play violin should give him his money back
I think this is part of father Dougal Maguire's record collection...side B
People blame the modern world for a lot of the depression we see in society, citing a more naturalistic environment as preferable. But I think the truth is that some people just find being human difficult, regardless of circumstances, and that has a toll on mental health. 60s west Ireland is some of the most naturalistic living you could get this side of the stone age yet it was still a major concern. The past wasn't all family togetherness and healthy outdoor lifestyle, there was genuine misery to be had.
Thanks for these uploads, they're a brilliant look into our past. I'm quite surprised we were even discussing mental health on RTE in the 60s.
The duality of the west of ireland. Both beauty as well as misery for some who have none.
All of the above I agree with. Throw in the abysmal weather in the West of Ireland with so many sunless days and the picture of gloom is complete. Loneliness is a killer that is caused by social isolation and some unfortunates form their own reality without the balancing that comes with blending with others in the scattered community.
What a load of bolloxs, I was raised in Connamara and the only madness I saw was the crazy yanks that came every summer looking for their roots. That and feckers from Dublin 😁🤭 love from Oz
0:38
As you drive west from Galway city, you can see the oddness and madness get steadily worse or more common, the further west you drive...and it's co-related to the increase in isolation...drinking a drop of the hard stuff, that wasn't distilled properly etc., on a regular basis would not help either...and like he said marrying distant cousins etc., who might be passing on bad genes was a factor...and not marrying at all, was another one...
Original soundtrack by Boards of Killarney.
I think peepin around the bushes and staring at Loopins is mad too))
Well, that soundtrack. Well. I think that would leave anyone disconcerted.
Tis the west of Ireland not the bates motel, that music is terrifying.
Everybody's mental health will be tested in October, when it all comes crashing down.
Well, thanks for that.