THE 20-PERSON POLL: On the opening night of the First Fortnight festival, a series of events that aims to challenge prejudice about mental health through creative arts, UNA MULLALLY asked attendees and participants at the Therapy Session event in Dublin's Workman's Club when they were happiest.
Róisín McGann, Clontarf
“I think my happiest moment was when my brother was born. I was two years and 10 months old and my earliest memory is washing my mum’s bump in the bath. I remember walking down the corridor into the room and seeing my brother in a cot. That’s my most notable happy moment.”
Charlie Heron, Greystones
“When I was working on sailboats in Australia with no money, barefoot, but happy. Few worries, I was out in nature, meeting lots of fun people and living like a pirate.”
Cara Mulcahy, Dublin
“Kelis at Lovebox [festival]. I was with my friends, and there she was playing the drums in a ballgown. It was just the best.”
Nick Devlin, Dublin
“Living in New York for a summer in 1994. I was in love and it was a great place.”
Ellen Cloney, Wexford
“This summer. It was the first time in four years all of my family were together. My cousins had been in Australia and Alaska and we had Christmas dinner in the middle of summer. Turkey, ham, crackers, and the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas special recorded. We recreated Christmas Day.”
Tony Wright, Portstewart
“When I first started to play guitar. I was eight. I got turned down for orchestra tryouts and I was devastated. My mum picked me up from school, saw how devastated I was, and dusted off the old guitar in the corner. She taught me Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and John Denver songs. Leaving On A Jet Plane was the first song I learned.”
Ellie Macnamara, Blackrock
“Probably when I was between the ages of five and eight, staying out until all hours on the road on our bikes going wild. I had no worries, everything was exciting, every day was an adventure.”
Louise Macnamara, Blackrock
“Recording the first Heathers album [the band she’s in with her sister Ellie – see previous]. Being with our friends, writing and recording. We were just realising we could do what we were doing, and there was no pressure.”
Justin McCarthy, Knocklyon
“On the train to Cobh when I was a kid. It was one of the first times I was on a train and I was obsessed with public transport. My first word was ‘bus’. It’s more than just a memory, I can still smell the train.”
Liana O’Cleirigh, Dublin
“In a house in the country when I was 19. Three friends came and we played the world’s most elaborate treasure hunt, kidnapping them from the train station.”
JP Swaine, Tallaght
“When I was 15. I could still catch a ball at its highest point without dropping it. And I hadn’t learned what hurt was.”
Sonya Donnelly, Fermoy
“When I got my Leaving Cert results. I beat my boyfriend by 170 points and we had made a bet that for every five more points one of us got, the other person had to buy them a pint. I got a lot of pints.”
Claire Walsh, Vancouver
“I really like rollercoasters and we went to Blackpool with my family.”
Eileen Deegan, Clondalkin
“When a goose wing saved my thesis. All my other samples screwed up but I could still use the sample of my goose wing, a light-bellied red goose. I was very happy that day.”
Rae Moore, Dublin
“When I won an architectural competition working with friends of mine that established me as my own individual self.”
Yan Bourke, Dublin
“Two years ago on New Year’s Eve we were hanging out not doing anything and it started to snow. I live beside the Phoenix Park so we went up to the park and were building a snowman when it turned midnight.”
Ailbhe Finn, Greystones
“Fourth year at college when I was in love.”
Robbie Kelly, Drimnagh
“When I won a trophy at a tattoo convention in 2010. I just entered for the laugh.”
Colin Perkins, Clontarf
“At Old Trafford when Arsenal won the league in 2002. Wiltord!”
Greta Roe, Dublin
“Probably when I went to Florida with both sides of my family. I was turning eight, and it was somewhere we had never been before. I was with all my cousins I was close to. It was exciting.”
