The Claddagh Rogues

James O’Flynn and his band The Claddagh Rogues have battled their fair share of demons to consistently produce passionate music rooted in their troubled lives. The Claddagh Rogues were born out of an artist-in-resident project at Cork’s Simon Community in 2007, led by clinical nurse and musician Kevin O’Shanahan. They have been going strong for 10 years and they have produced two EPs. Their first album ‘For the Record’ launched at the First Fortnight Festival in January 2017 with special guest John Spillane. The album plays tribute to Claddagh Rogues co-founder Mags Kelly, who passed away in 2014, aged just 44. For the Record explores experiences of homelessness, addiction, mental health difficulties and recovery.

James, lead singer and songwriter, spent most of his early life in prison, under psychiatric care and homeless on the streets of Cork. Fellow Claddagh Rogues founder member Mags Kelly experienced addiction and homelessness. Talking about the album, James said music continues to keep him on the straight and narrow: ‘Some tracks will pay special tribute to Mags, other will have a fresh meaning after her passing. I had no idea things would go this far. I’m the last original member of the Rogues. I have a house, a son and I want to be there for him as a father. I feel proud of myself and my family are happy too. They have been on the journey with me too. I have been a messer all my life. Things are looking up.’

Now a father of one, James said that despite a troubled past, he always loved singing.

“People always like me to sing — they’ll ask me to get up and sing a song. When I was in prison, or in hospital, I’d sing. My songs come from living in the depths and struggling, and developing the knowledge to deal with things and learning to accept,” said James.

For the Record is available at: https://thecladdaghrogues.bandcamp.com

James

For the Record is available at: https://thecladdaghrogues.bandcamp.com

The Claddagh Rogues are supported by HSE South’s Arts and Health Programme, Cork City Arts Office, Cork Mental Health Services and MusicAlive.

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49 North Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork

Most agree that giving to others is a good idea however giving to others has a knock on effect on ourselves by improving the givers mental wellbeing.

Most agree that giving to others is a good idea however giving to others has a knock on effect on ourselves by improving the givers mental wellbeing. From small acts of kindness to volunteering, giving can give you a sense of purpose, community and connectedness. Sometimes we think of our wellbeing in terms of what we have; our income, car, home or job. Evidence shows that what we do and the way we think has the biggest impact on mental wellbeing. Positive mental wellbeing means feeling good about yourself and the world around you and being able to get on with your life. Helping and supporting others and working with others towards a shared goal is good for our mental wellbeing. A 2003 study in 373 older adults found that some aspect of wellbeing were higher in those who did volunteer projects compared with those who did not. Scientists have shown that giving to others can stimulate the reward areas in the brain helping to create positive feelings. Helping others also gives a sense of purpose and feelings of self-worth.

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Make time each day to connect with your family, friends and colleagues. This could include ‘family time’ that is a fixed time to connect each day.
Arrange a day out with friends you may not have connected with recently. Most people connect on social media sites like Facebook but a face to face contact spending your time with your friends is so much more meaningful and beneficial than a “like” or “comment” on Facebook.
Reduce your screen time when you are in company. Put the phone away, close your laptop, turn off the TV and have a chat.
Try connecting with someone new today. Talk to the person beside you on the train or in the shop. This conversation may mean even more to the person you connect with than you realise.
Leave your desk for your lunch and sit with a colleague catching up on non-work matters.
It can be as simple as a smile at a passer-by.

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Being active is great for your physical and mental wellbeing. Evidence proves there is a link between being active physically and good mental wellbeing.

Mental wellbeing means feeling good about yourself, about the world around you and having the ability to get on with life in the way you want.
Being active doesn’t mean you need to train for a marathon. You need to find physical activity that you enjoy and can fit into your daily/ weekly routine. This may be a daily walk to the shops instead of taking the car, a weekly gardening session, some yoga, swimming or a weekend walk.
Scientists confirm physical activity can help maintain wellbeing and good mental health in a number of ways:
Physical activity helps with mild depression. Evidence shows it can protect people against the onset of depression and anxiety.
Physical activity causes a chemical change in the brain which can help change our mood.
Physical activity brings about a sense of greater self-esteem, self-control and the ability to rise to a challenge – all of which help improve wellbeing.