Former Roscommon football player Ciaran Murtagh on Movember initiative

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SPEAKER_2 (1:00)

The Hard Shoulder with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman on Newstalk with Ciaran.

Shane Colman (1:08)

Now, you might be noticing more moustaches around the place this month. That's because every November, the Movember charities call on men to grow a moustache and open a conversation about mental health. And now Movember is teaming up with the GAA to help encourage young people across the country to talk about their mental health. Tell us more. We're joined by former Roscommon football player, Ciaran Murtagh. Ciaran, thanks indeed for coming in to us. Just tell us, how did you get involved in this?

Ciaran Murtagh (1:33)

Yeah, I suppose I'm with the programme now for two years. I originally got involved in it because I went to the GPA just to seek support in relation to having these conversations. Unfortunately, I had a friend of mine that I had to have a serious conversation with and I didn't fully know if I handled the conversation correctly.

So that's why I went to the GPA just for support in relation to these conversations. I got some training, I upskilled myself in it, and then the job opportunity came with Movember, head of the game team, and I really feel like it benefited me, I suppose, in relation to having these conversation with friends and colleagues and different people that have needed it since.

Shane Colman (2:12)

I mean, I know you're not looking for praising anyway, but I just think that's incredibly impressive that you took that step, that you had that self-awareness to go, I don't know if I'm saying the right thing, doing the right thing, and you went and sought advice and help. I'm incredibly impressed by that.

Ciaran Murtagh (2:29)

Yeah, genuinely. I don't think anyone that's involved in the program is looking for praise in relation to it.

I felt like I handled the conversation okay, but I didn't know if I asked the correct questions, and I suppose one that pops up all the time is in relation to suicide, unfortunately, and whether you should ask that question, are you having thoughts of self-harm or suicide? That's something that I would have thought. You never ask somebody that's having difficulty with their mental health, but it is a question that you are supposed to ask.

I suppose I didn't ask the question at that time, and it's something that played on my mind for a long time until I got the training in it, and now I feel a bit more comfortable asking that question to somebody that is going through a difficult time.

Shane Colman (3:11)

Normally, I don't really like the term, but I can't think of another word for it. I mean, you've been on quite a journey in relation to this.

Ciaran Murtagh (3:19)

Yeah, I have, I suppose.

When I was younger and playing with the Scum for 10 years or whatever it was, I suppose the support wasn't there in relation to having these conversations, and a lot of the time people would have bottled their feelings, whether that be an injury, whether you're going through a tough time in your job, whether you're getting dropped from a team, whatever it might be. And I suppose we didn't have the workshops that Movember are offering at the moment. And even when I look back in the last few years, we were lucky enough to have a sports psychologist with us coming. But at the beginning of my career, you snuck in the door there, you know what I mean?

You didn't make it open to everyone that I'm going in to talk to the sports psychologist about my performance, or whatever it might be. But then coming near the end of my career, there was a queue outside the door to get in. So I think it definitely is changing in that regard in relation to having these open conversations, and making people more aware that you can have these conversations. The mental fitness side is just as important as your physical fitness. It's trying to make young people aware of that, because I suppose as a primary school teacher as well, I'm aware of the stressors that kids are faced with now on a daily basis as well. It's just if they can start these conversations at a younger age, they might become one of the stats in later life as well.