Sir, – I note with regret Miriam Lord's recent column where she belittled Fianna Fáil's genuine attempt to raise awareness of loneliness and depression among the farming community ("No fighting cocks at the ploughing but plenty of cowboy hats", September 19th).
What she may not have known is that the “How are you today?” or “Conas atá tú?” stickers which she described as pointless were part of a wider mental-health awareness campaign run by Fianna Fáil at the National Ploughing Championships.
Given the long history of stigma associated with mental health in this country, I believe all attempts to raise awareness and normalise talking about it are to be welcomed. I certainly don’t believe it to be pointless. – Yours, etc,
JAMES BROWNE TD,
:fill(white):background_color(white)/static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191476.png)
(Fianna Fáil spokesman
on mental health),
Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford.