Latest news with #LandmarkHotel
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Bressie brings message of powerful mental health discussion to Leitrim during Health is Wealth event
Niall 'Bressie' Breslin brought his well known show 'Where is my Mind' to The Landmark Hotel on Saturday night as part of the annual Leitrim Health is Wealth event. In 2017, Hubert was named Leitrim Guardian Person of the Year for his work in the mental health sector for over 40 years. While chatting with his colleague Valerie Cogan, the idea of raising awareness of mental health struggles and the supports available was discussed. A few days later, Leitrim Health is Wealth was founded. The pair received very little funding and relied heavily on donations and the support of the local community to make the event possible. However, their aim remained clear - to start a conversation around mental health issues in an attempt to reduce stigma associated and to try and encourage people to believe that 'it was ok not to be ok and it was ok to look for help.' And since its foundation in 2017, the event has gone from strength to strength, growing in popularity each year. This year, acclaimed musician and mental health advocate, Niall Breslin, known as Bressie, brought his captivating podcast "Where Is My Mind?" to Leitrim on May 3, 2025, at the Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon. The show which is free to attend was filled to capacity with a large crowd of people attending the important event. As a life transformation expert, Bressie has devoted his life to helping people reach their true unlimited potential. ADVERTISEMENT The evening was filled with both raw and uplifting moments, as Bressie blended music with compelling conversations. His aim with 'Where is my Mind' is to connect with the audience on a human level, helping individuals to recognise the importance of seeking help, opening up and taking steps towards self-care. Special guests on the night were former Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan and Dr Catherine Dolan, Consultant Psychiatrist with Sligo Leitrim Mental Health service who both gave insightful and thought provoking insights during the conversation with Bressie. The live performance combined Bressie's powerful music with his commitment to raising awareness about mental health. Local mental health organisations such as Mental Health Ireland, Samaritans, North West Stop and M-PACT were available on the night to shed light on the services that are available to those who need it. Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council Cllr Paddy O'Rourke said it is 'more than just an event' but an opportunity to work together to build a community where mental health is prioritised. He added everyone should feel valued and supported, encourage conversations and promote mental health and wellbeing. Olwny O'Toole, Health Ireland Co-ordination for Leitrim County Council praised the event. "When it comes to mental health, we still have a lot to learn and we were when the opportunity arose to work with Leitrim's Health is Wealth on this inspiring event.' Over the years, the event has seen Irish names from all walks of life taking to the stage to tell their story including Mary McElvoy, Oisin McConville, Charlie McGettigan, Alan Quinlan, Mickey Drennan and Valerie Cox. Ahead of the event, organiser Hubert McHugh, a retired community mental health nurse, called for a vital programme to be put in place aimed at reducing the number of suicides occurring in the local community. A call was also made for extra funding to be pumped into the mental health services in the Northwest, particularly in step down and community facilities for people who have been hospitalised due to mental health issues.
Sunday World
01-05-2025
- Sunday World
Inquest told of heroic efforts to rescue Dublin garda who died when boat caught fire
Deirdre 'Dee' Finn (53), of Ballinteer, Co Dublin, was a detective in the Dún Laoghaire district Detective Garda Deirdre Finn was due to retire the following year An inquest into the death of a detective garda in a boat fire on the Shannon heard of frantic efforts to save her. Deirdre 'Dee' Finn (53), of Ballinteer, Co Dublin, was a detective in the Dún Laoghaire district and had served over 30 years in An Garda Síochána. Det Gda Finn had been due to retire the year after her death on August 7, 2023. Sligo and Leitrim coroner Fergal Kelly, sitting in Carrick-on Shannon courthouse, heard evidence from nine witnesses, including close friends of Det Gda Finn in the boating community and emergency responders and gardaí. The inquest heard she was a popular member of the boating community and owned her own cruiser called Doll Finn. On the night before her death, she attended a gala dinner in the Landmark Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon to mark the end of the Inland Waterways Shannon Boat Rally. The funeral of Detective Garda Deirdre 'Dee' Finn In his deposition, Cormac Smyth, from Dublin, said he was woken at about 7.55am on August 7, 2023, by his wife Eibhlín's screams. Gda Finn Finn's boat was in flames, and Mr Smyth said he immediately ran along the jetty and discharged two full fire extinguishers into the vessel, but it had little effect as the fire had taken hold. The inquest heard boat owners in the marina discharged up to 20 of their personal fire extinguishers into the stricken vessel before the arrival of the fire service. Mr Smyth said he and his wife had won first prize in the rally, and the couple hosted a small gathering on their vessel following the gala, as was a tradition in the boating community. He re-entered the vessel, but was quickly overwhelmed by heat and suffered singe burns to his back At about 4.15am, Det Gda Finn left the Smyths' boat to go to bed in her cruiser, which was about 40 metres away. Mr Smyth walked her the short distance and ensured she was on board safely, as is also custom in the boating community. 'I was happy Dee was on the boat. I always see my friends home,' he said. The inquest also heard harrowing details of efforts by Robbie Garland, a close family friend of Det Gda Finn, to save her. Struggling to maintain his composure, he detailed multiple attempts by him to access the burning vessel. Mr Garland was alerted by his son Adam to the fire at about 7.55am. Although the vessel was largely engulfed in flames, Mr Garland tried to break windows and open the hatch above Det Gda Finn's bed. 'I eventually got the hatch open,' he said, but black smoke billowed out. He took a deep breath and stretched into the vessel and managed to extract a duvet. As he was barefoot and dressed in boxer shorts, he used the duvet as protection and again took a deep breath and re-entered the vessel, but was quickly overwhelmed by heat and suffered singe burns to his back. Detective Garda Deirdre Finn was due to retire the following year Today's News in 90 seconds - Thursday, May 1 The inquest heard Ms Smyth screamed at Mr Garland that he had to get off the vessel as she feared it was 'about to blow'. Adrienne Garland, the wife of Mr Garland, told the inquest she and Ms Finn enjoyed a night of laughter and dancing before her best friend's death. At 4.18am, Ms Garland sent Ms Finn a picture of them together, and Ms Finn replied at 4.20am. The inquest heard the friends said they loved each other. State pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers told the inquest Det Gda Finn died of inhalation of combustible products, including carbon dioxide, and there were no contributory factors to her death. The inquest heard she was found in bed. The forensic investigator found it was probable that the flame of the gas-fired fridge ignited the fire An expert forensic report found the fire was caused by a defective LPG gas pipe supplying the refrigerator on the boat, which caused a gas escape. The forensic investigator found it was probable that the flame of the gas-fired fridge ignited the fire. Coroner Mr Kelly returned a narrative verdict that Det Gda Finn died of inhalation of combustible products including carbon dioxide. Det Gda Deirdre Finn Extending his sympathies to her family and friends, the coroner said he was moved by the evidence of the close friendship between Det Gda Finn and Ms Garland and praised the 'very heroic and extremely brave' actions of Mr Garland. He also set out in his verdict a recommendation that Waterways Ireland carry out an information campaign highlighting the dangers of LPG appliances on boats. Extending his sympathies to Det Gda Finn's family, including her father, Pat Finn, Mr Kelly said he saw a picture of her on and could tell she was a 'really nice person you could have fun and banter with'. Mr Finn thanked Mr Kelly for his efficiency and compassion. He also thanked his daughter's garda colleagues for their excellent work investigating her death, and for their empathy.
The Independent
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Thierry Henry interview: ‘Modern football is so scripted – we forget to let the players play'
It was a scene, fittingly enough, that caused those watching to raise their eyebrows with excitement. At the Landmark Hotel in London in January, the Football Writers' Association awarded Dennis Bergkamp a place in its Hall of Fame, which gathered a lot of Arsenal 's most celebrated figures, including Arsene Wenger. Thierry Henry was sitting beside Ian Wright, and there was a natural sense of bonhomie. What was most striking, however, was when clips from Bergkamp's career were shown. Henry and Wright didn't quite sit back in awe, as most did. They began to mutter into each other's ears, pointing out little movements and finishes, and what they might have tried. 'Look what he's done there.' It was all the more resonant an image given what Wenger had been talking about in his speech. The former Arsenal manager celebrated Bergkamp's ingenuity while talking about how the modern game might have lost that capacity 'to be surprised'. Henry never lost that, as can be seen in his own highlight reel. There was that flick-up and turned-volley against Manchester United, the back heel against Charlton Athletic, and so many individual goals. He personified the idea of individualism enhancing a collective – a sense of surprise complementing the structure. It's a theme Henry warms to as he chats over Zoom for Lay's, but admits he's in a distinctive position now. He's a coach who very much follows the principles of the modern game, as was seen in his France team's run to the Olympic silver medal in the summer. 'I've said it so many times, the game is so controlled by everything, by stats, by coaches. I mean, myself, I'm a coach. I say 'don't do this, don't do that'. The game is so scripted and schematised at times, that you kind of forget to let players play. '[Take] one of the best, Jack Grealish. He won the treble playing a certain way. It wasn't the same at Villa. Villa's Grealish was dribbling past people, shooting sometimes. At Man City, he's well aware that he can't lose the ball too early or too quick, because they're going to be in transition. Pep doesn't like transition. He likes to possess the ball, retain it there. 'Meanwhile… if you don't try, you don't succeed.' Henry acknowledges that his view has been conditioned by his key role in the team that essentially created this modern era: Pep Guardiola's Barcelona. There is another little surprise there, though. While he talks about how he was 'high and wide on the left', he still saw himself as a striker. 'That's the game. It depends how you want to talk about it. We're strikers, wherever you go to perform. That's my view of it. We played at one point with Messi false nine, and Sam [Eto'o] high and wide on the right. We won the treble.' Henry then becomes animated when he starts to discuss a modern attacker who he feels can marry much of this. That's Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, who he managed at the Paris Olympics. 'Michael is a proper football player, meaning he will always try to do what the game requires for the team. He presses well. He has an eye for a pass. Obviously, as you can see, he can score some goals. 'He's a special talent but always, always tries to do what the game requires, which is not always an easy task. When you can do something, when you have the quality to perform alone, but you still stay grounded to do what the team needs you to do, it's very important. I had a lot of fun with him at the Olympics because he is a special player, a special human being. Also, I'm just happy with what's happening to him right now, because he deserves it.' Henry's conspicuous description of Olise as a talent who can bring individualism while enhancing the team is all the more notable as he starts to talk about how he feels football discussion has changed. 'You know, it's funny, whenever I'm in the street, people want to know who was the best, who is going to win the Ballon d'Or. And I'm like, hang on a minute, nobody comes into this game thinking about individuals. It's a collective sport. And I think we moved on so much from 'let's talk about the game'. It's always a battle or debate, who was the best… and I know it creates debates but there is a game here, 11 v 11, and if your team is not good, you will struggle! So yeah, you can see that new generation only want to talk about individuals.' Is this a good thing, though? 'It's different. I don't know if it's good or right. That's how the world moved on. People talk more about players than the team at times.' Henry does have a notable place in football discussion, as part of CBS's Champions League show. While he enjoys how the show has become famous for banter clips on social media, he stresses that it is also a long show where they go into detail on tactics – and the team. 'I do think at the end of the day, you can entertain people and educate them at the same time. One thing that people do not often think of, the show lasts four hours. Why not have a bit of fun, and at the same time you're covering everything, you're doing your analysis. It's kind of weird, because people in the UK can't watch the show, but they watch the clip, and they love the show through the clips, but there are so many things that we do that people don't know. I'm enjoying it.' In terms of that capacity to surprise, there's also the reason he is here. Henry is talking about Lay's campaign with David Beckham – No Lay's No Game – where he drops in on unsuspecting supporters. 'I've been in the situation before when I did adverts and people knew you were coming… it was scripted, right? This is not scripted. You arrive, people turn, and then you get the reaction you're gonna get, people crying and people jumping, and joy. 'The whole thing, No Lay's No Game, we all know we like our little snack when we watch a game, wherever it is. What I like about it is just that genuine connection, that first two seconds, the face of the fans, they see you. It's second to none. 'That's raw, surprising people.' Much like some of his play. Finally, Henry believes there may yet be a surprise in his old club. Arsenal have faced difficulties of late, but he believes they can and should focus on the Champions League. 'All I know is that for a very long time, we looked like we were not competitive. Now, we are. And obviously winning the Champions League is a tough ask for everybody.' That's the beauty of the sport, though, that capacity to do something unexpected. Henry knows that as well as anyone.
