'Men look after their livestock better than themselves' - how Movember connects with men from rural Ireland

""One of the core strands of what Movember does is mental health, and there is a huge amount of suicide in Ireland," he said. "Four out of five suicides in Ireland are men. A lot of that is preventable, and a lot of it comes from loneliness and isolation. Particularly in rural Ireland, that is something that's happening all the time, and something Movember wanted to be here to talk about.""

"the Movember Ireland Mo-Shed was providing information on men's health, getting involved with the campaign and offering hot towel shaves to willing volunteers. Having Mr Donnelly providing shaves the old-fashioned way with a straight razor served to highlight the unique relationship between men and their barbers, and its importance as a social outlet. "It's quite unique, the barber and the client. When someone gets into the chair, we get to talk about things," Mr Donnelly said."

Movember Ireland operated a Mo-Shed at the Ploughing in Screggan, Co Offaly to provide information on men's physical and mental health, encourage involvement, and offer hot towel shaves. Young men and boys visited the shed, engaged with staff, and took part in a spin-the-wheel challenge while learning about health checks. Fourth-generation barber Sam Donnelly and ambassador Clyde Carroll delivered traditional straight-razor shaves and outreach. The campaign emphasized mental health and suicide prevention, noting high rates of male suicide and links to loneliness and rural isolation. The barber-client relationship was highlighted as an important social outlet alongside fundraising and lighthearted community activities.

Read at Irish Independent