Participation in the 2023 Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest has grown by more than 100% since 2020 with 98% of those who gave feedback saying they would attend similar events again in 2024.

Pictured at the Kerry Mental Health & Wellbeing Fest Event Organiser Appreciation Event in the Brehon Hotel Killarney were l to r: Gearóid O'Doherty (Kerry Recreation and Sports Partnership) Caoimhe Keogan (Jigsaw Kerry) & Donagh Hennebry (HSE Suicide Resource Officer Kerry)

Pictured at the Kerry Mental Health & Wellbeing Fest Event Organiser Appreciation Event in the Brehon Hotel Killarney were l to r: Geraldine O'Sullivan (Kerry Volunteer Centre) & John Drummey (Kerry Mental Health Association)

Pictured at the Kerry Mental Health & Wellbeing Fest Event Organiser Appreciation Event in the Brehon Hotel Killarney were l to r: Gráinne Woulfe (Health Promotion & Improvement Dept HSE) Kerry Moriarty (SICAP) & Michelle Foley (Health Promotion & Improvement Dept HSE)

Feedback from more than 100 people who attended this year’s Fest events from 7th to 14th October was positive with 91% stating they were satisfied.
The Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest is held annually over the course of a week to highlight World Mental Health Day on October 10.
It aims to raise awareness of the available supports and services in Kerry as well as empower people to engage with the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ through offering a dynamic and interactive programme of events.
99% percent of respondents, most of whom identified as female, said they would recommend the Fest to friends next year. Some key notes for improvement included a request for more events with wider variety throughout the county.
The Chair of the Interagency Steering Group, John Drummey from Kerry Mental Health Association, said: “We wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to event organisers, community groups, businesses, funders and partners that facilitated the Fest’s dynamic and interactive programme of events in 2023. We are encouraged to see such growth in numbers attending the Fest events with a 50% increase from 2022. We are already making plans for the Fest from 5 to 12t October 2024 and we are looking forward to building on this year’s successes. That said, there is always room for improvement and we would welcome suggestions for new events and activities.”
Many of the event organisers attended a ‘thank-you’ event at the Brehon Hotel, Killarney, courtesy of the Kerry Volunteer Centre to coincide with the annual International Volunteer Day, December 5.
The Kerry Mental Health and Wellbeing Fest was organised by an interagency steering group made up of local agencies that support wellbeing in our community.
The organising committee is a collaboration between Connecting for Life Kerry, Healthy Kerry, Kerry County Council, Kerry Recreation & Sports Partnership, the HSE, NEWKD, SKDP, Kerry Mental Health Association, Jigsaw Kerry, Munster Technological University/Kerry, KDYS, Kerry Volunteer Centre and Family Resource Centres throughout the county.