Laois man bullied in school urges public to back unique mental health fundraiser

A Laois entrepreneur is using his own experiences of mental health challenges as a force for good as he launches a fundraising drive to raise funds for a national suicide awareness and positive mental health charity.

Michael Fitzpatrick, Property Manager of the destination property, ‘Fitz of Inch’ in Stradbally will donate €100 to the charity from each property booking from now until December to SOSAD, which has offices throughout the country, including in Portlaoise.

Michael says he went through a period of serious and sustained bullying through part of secondary school, causing him to face anxiety and depression as he got older.

“I have first-hand knowledge of the insidiousness of bullying and indeed how it can lead to serious mental health challenges with the person who has been bullied needing support, and this support can come in many forms” he says. 

“Bullies can feed on difference, and I was a young gay man, to be honest I didn’t even know my sexuality then, and as such was a target for them.

“I was very fortunate, however, in that I had unwavering support from my family, I could go and confide in them, and they were just a rock of strength and comfort, as were my close friends.  

“I was just a kid then, and I would have been completely lost without my circle.

“I was able to go and seek professional support which helped me enormously and helped me understand my mental health,” he said.

Years later Michael was approached by somebody who had subjected him to bullying, but this time the bully had just one thing on his mind and that was to apologise.

“Really when any bully sees the effect his or her actions have on people, it makes them sit up and reflect. It takes a lot of courage to apologise, it was clearly on the bully’s mind, and I genuinely really appreciated the acknowledgement and the apology. 

“I now know the warning signs if my mental health is taking a dip; I can get overwhelmed and I tend to suffer with SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder) in the winter months but I’m extremely lucky in that I know myself extremely well and I address it and tackle it head on. It’s all about knowledge, where to go and who to go to and when. That is why I am so happy to be able to give back and to help SOSAD (Save Our Sons and Daughters) who do such incredible work in the area of positive mental health and suicide prevention.”

Michael says he is a stronger more resilient person following his experience of bulling and his mental health challenges and credits it with giving him strength of character which has carried him through to today.

“I am definitely a more robust person as a result of what I had to go through.

"I know the bullies were probably struggling to “fit in” as well and probably just trying to put up a front for their own insecurities and mental health challenges. I’m one of the lucky ones and I cherish the peace I have, and I am able to deal with dark days when and if they come. The whole experience brought me closer if anything to my family and friends and that is truly priceless,” he said.

Michael’s message for anybody who is going through any issues with mental health is.

"Pick up the phone!”

“I truly cannot stress this enough. To whomever that may be, your mum, your best mate, the girls, your granny or a work colleague, ring them and talk to them, in fact do a mental health check in with them, you never know who needs to hear your voice.

“We look forward to working closely with SOSAD Mental Health Charity during this fundraiser and hope that our contribution can make a positive impact on the lives of those in need within our community,” he said.

In a bid to raise as much money as possible for SOSAD, Fitz of Inch has also launched a social media campaign, allowing people who may not be able to stay at the property, a chance to donate online. 

“We want to spread the net as wide as possible, give everybody a chance to help this fundraising campaign and this in itself mirrors what SOSAD is trying so hard to do; provide a wide safety net to people experiencing mental health issues,” he said. 

The funds raised by Fitz of Inch will go towards SOSAD’S brand new Ambassadorial campaign where it hopes to create a network of people from all walks of life who have been trained to understand what mental illness is, what to look out for and help them to develop the necessary skills including active listening, having difficult  conversations, and signposting people to appropriate help to get the help they need.

Carol Murphy is the General Manager of SOSAD Ireland.

“We are delighted that you have chosen us to be the beneficiary of this special fundraiser. This is a great opportunity for us to not only raise funds for our ‘Wellbeing Ambassador Programme’ but to also raise awareness of Mental Health and the services that are available.

“It's a fairly simple concept but has the power to impact communities and business in a big way.  

“We constantly ask people who are struggling with their mental health to talk to someone, to reach out, to just ask for help.  But what happens if they don't know who to reach out to or where to look?

“Over the last number of years, we have come to realise a number of things, chiefly, that if people can get help early enough with their problem, in many cases it stops the problem from becoming bigger and perhaps prevents that person from ending up in crisis or worse, planning to take their own lives”.

“The Wellbeing Ambassador Programme will train and support individuals who would like to take action to help support the mental health and wellbeing of others. They can be a member of the public, perhaps a person who is already a volunteer in their community, or indeed anyone who would like to be involved”.

To support the fundraiser go to www.fitzofinch.ie

SOSAD is a non-profit organisation that provides free counselling services and support to people who are struggling with various mental health issues.  It has offices in Laois, Cavan, Drogheda, Dundalk, Navan, Monaghan Call 1800 901 909

About Fitz of Inch

Fitz of Inch is an 18th-century property in Stradbally, Co Laois.

The luxury period estate, which is known for its gracious elegance, is solely an adult only destination, catering for a growing sector of discerning guests who value tranquil, revitalising country escapes.

The entire property, providing accommodation for large groups of people can be rented out.

Fitz of Inch prides itself on sustainability.

It won the GRINN Sustainability Awards 2022- Best Sustainable Accommodation in Ireland. The European Sustainable Travel Awards rewards businesses in the hospitality sector that go the extra mile towards developing an eco-friendlier tourism industry.