So what is Madpride Ireland all about?
Madpride Ireland was set up by mental health campaigner John McCarthy. For us it is an important part of what we do as a company and something we both feel passionately about. When we were first approached by John in 2008 we initially took the job as a normal gig however, over the years, as we have learnt of the gross discrimination of those suffering from mental illness in this country, we have become committed to working for the equality and rights of those in the ‘mad community’.
This is so much more about human rights than stigma; people who live with the normality of madness are second class citizens because of the present legal system in Ireland. The mad community can be locked up without trial forced treated and forced medicated. No branch of medicine should demand the protection of mental health acts in order to force treat its patients. The common law is to protect both doctor and patient and it is only right that all people should have the protection of the common law just like any other citizen, none of this is rocket science.
What does Mad Pride Ireland do?
We believe that the best way to promote understanding of the issues surrounding mental health is to engage the community through active participation in a fun environment.
We do that by hosting family events that are inclusive, fun and suitable for children, teenagers, adults and families. These events do not bombard people with pamphlets extolling the virtues of one approach over another.
Rather they show the world that madness is an everyday occurrence that affects us all and can be dealt with openly, lovingly and without fear.
Have we opened the national debate on mental health? We sure have. We are deadly serious in our intent, while so open in our content, we are good at what we do!!
What does a Mad Pride Ireland event consist of?
We host events with diverse programmes that are tailored to suit the local community.
Every Mad Pride event has a good deal of silliness, ridiculousness, colour and fun as well as:
Clown normality testing (clowns patrol the entrances with rubber chicken normality detectors checking people for signs of normality. Those showing symptoms are not allowed in, as there is no such thing as normal everyone gets in)
Live music
Street theatre shows
Family games
Children’s activities
Food and craft market
for more info on madpride and what its up to just check them out
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