By Cian O’Connell

“I think it is very important in the sense that it is very proactive around mental health and mental health awareness,” Iggy Clarke says about the recently launched ‘Ahead of the Game’.

Leading men’s health organisation, Movember, has partnered with the GAA and GPA, developing an evidence-based emotional literacy programme designed for delivery in a sports club setting.

Former Galway hurling star Clarke believes the initiative will assist young people throughout the country. “It is geared towards young people largely, young lads, originally, but it is very inclusive towards girls too,” he explains.

“It includes parents and coaches also so it covers a wide range. It is giving the younger people, especially, tools and techniques in how to deal with mental health and in the continuum of mental health, we want people to stay in the green area which is good mental health.

“In that sense it is great. It is very effective, they have done a lot of research on it too. Articles have been done on the effectiveness of 'Ahead of the Game', hopefully this year as it is rolled out, we will be meeting in the region of 8,000-10,000 people. So, the impact of that should be enormous.”

The proactive approach is crucial according to Clarke, who works as a counsellor and psychotherapist. “The fact that the research shows 75 per cent of mental health issues arise before the age of 24 or 25, this programme is gauged towards changing that by working with young people, in particular, but across the lifespan too,” Clarke adds.

“I love the fact it is very proactive because I do a lot of reactive work, debriefing when a critical incident happens. This is very refreshing in the sense it is going the other side of mental health, seeing what we can do to prevent critical incidents really.

“It uses sportspeople to carry that message, I suppose that is something I like. It hits at the grassroots, it means we visit clubs and meet people on the ground. That is very effective. I think it is a very good project to be involved in.

“There is a major effort to increase mental health awareness, to decrease psychological distress. Then to improve or strengthen resilience in people when something goes wrong or when something hits the system, that they have resources and resilience to deal with it.

“On that continuum I mentioned, to move out of the red area and move towards the green, to keep ourselves in the green area which is good, active mental health. So, the more incidents we can help to prevent the better.”

Clarke highlights the work carried out by the GAA Healthy Clubs project during the past decade. “The Healthy Club project is going for the last 10 years, they have recently done a bit of research on it,” Clarke says.

“The HSE has done the research and they are saying the impact of the Healthy Club project has contributed 50 million to the health of the country. That is a massive change and I think this programme 'Ahead of the Game' is certainly going to add another 50 million in less than 10 years.

“It will contribute at least that in probably less time than 10 years. That is a fantastic proactive contribution to the health of the country and ultimately to the economy.”

On the field of play Clarke starred for Mullagh and Galway, winning an All-Ireland medal in 1980. The GAA, though, is about much more than sport according to Clarke. “That is a side of it I love, it has a community element,” he explains.

“The health and wellbeing section has brought in different people to the club. It might be nurses, social workers, people that maybe don't play the games, but they have an interest in the health of young people.

“I think that is fantastic, it has introduced a lot of females into the clubs because a lot of clubs were male dominated for a long time. So, now a lot of females can be taking part through the Healthy Club initiative, I think that is a welcome balance. It is very much involved around the community.”

Ensuring a positive and inclusive environment is available for all matters deeply to Clarke. “The GAA clubs, in most places, are the heart of the community, the heart of the parish,” he adds.

“So, if they are very inclusive and they look after the wellbeing of their players, they look after the less neurodiverse, people who are less able or might have been excluded from games.

“The Little All Stars programme or Wheelchair Hurling - those things are fantastic, including as many people in the community, as possible. I think it broadens the perspective of the GAA in the local parish.

“The logo of the GAA is that we all belong, so to put that in practice in a local community gives the GAA a pivotal role in keeping the community alive, keeping it vibrant, especially in rural Ireland.”