Loneliness among Irish in Britain is as harmful as smoking

This month marks my eighth year living in London, and I am well settled here at this stage. Looking back, I realise now that it was thanks to the “ready-made” life that was waiting for me here when I moved from Galway in 2010 that I have settled so well. I was very fortunate to have a job and accommodation arranged before I made the move, and close family already living here.

My first three years were spent managing the well-known Irish bar The Claddagh Ring in North London. It’s a real hub for the Irish community, and it felt like a home from home for me. I retrained then and started working in the health field, which has always been a passion of mine. After experiencing a couple of years on the wrong side of it, I’m even more aware of the value of health and how it can impact all areas of your life.

Last November, I started working as the health and wellbeing officer for Irish in Britain (IiB), a national charity supporting Irish organisations across the UK, located in London and funded by the Irish Government. Its remit is to support sustainability among its members, disseminate policy and practice, and to represent issues affecting the Irish community at strategic and national level. This includes highlighting health inequalities and the lack of targeted services to meet specific needs of the Irish community.

Green Hearts

Since joining the team, I’ve been working to develop a national campaign called Green Hearts, to promote heart health among Irish people in Britain. Heart health initiatives are particularly relevant for the Irish population because there is clear evidence of higher than average mortality among Irish men and women from coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke. Cardiovascular disease also increases risk of developing vascular dementia.

Remembering my Nannie Muriel, who taught me about Ireland

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Begorrahs begone: Educating my Canadian neigbours about the real Ireland on St Patrick's Day

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Distance between ma and me is stretched taut on Mother’s Day

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Apart from lifestyle factors such as diet and smoking, social isolation and loneliness also has a colossal impact on health. A powerful study in 2017 reported that loneliness was as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. With this in mind, I’ll be collaborating with Irish welfare organisations and GAA clubs in Britain to ensure the Green Hearts message promotes inclusion and connection, and reaches those who are most at risk.

Despite the health services available, reaching certain high-risk groups, such as middle-aged men, within our community has been a challenge. This can be down to stigma, fear, or lack of understanding when it comes to making positive changes or seeking help. Something as simple as having your blood pressure checked by your GP could be lifesaving.

Early detection

We've enlisted the help of another Galway girl and former London Rose, Dr Aisling Hilary, to help highlight the importance of screening and early detection, and working with the London Masters football team, who are taking the 'Green Hearts Challenge'; you can follow their progress on our Facebook Page.

It’s not always easy to find time to exercise, but the payoff for just 20 to 30 minutes a day are priceless in terms of heart health so it’s important to prioritise it. Sean McDermott’s Football Club in Birmingham will launch a Green Hearts activity within the club aimed at promoting exercise in the community, in particular for men aged 45+.

The campaign has been gathering great momentum, and was officially launched last week just before St Patrick's Day. We've had great support from our member organisations as well as from individuals such as Brendie Brien of the GAA Provincial Council, and Dr Mary Tilki, who specialises in ethnic health inequalities, particularly among older people. The trojan work put in behind the scenes is a testament to the strong sense of community that I hope Green Hearts will capture.

To join in with the Green Hearts challenge or find out more about how you can get involved, get in touch via www.irishinbritain.org.