A new three-part online series called “Tell Me About – A Pandemic Rural Health & Wellness Symposia Series” begins this evening, Thursday November 12, at 8:00pm on the Teagasc YouTube Channel.

The series is organised by Teagasc, in partnership with the Civic Engagement Committee at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), IT Carlow and Letterkenny IT.

The series will include contributions from Teagasc staff; TCD; IT Carlow; NUI Galway academics & researchers; healthcare professionals; and a range of institutions and services across rural Ireland.

Contributors to the Teagasc series

Some of the high-profile contributors to the series include:
  • Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture with responsibility for research and development, farm safety, and new market development Martin Heydon;
  • President of the National Ploughing Association (NPA) Anna May McHugh;
  • former president of the GAA Nicky Brennan of Age Action Kilkenny;
  • Journalist and broadcaster Billy Keane;
  • Professor Catherine Comiskey, Professor of Health Modelling and Statistics TCD.

The theme of the series is ‘Heavy and & Light’ and mixes scientific research, contributor interviews as well as musical and poetic moments.

Three-parts

The first programme “Living with Covid-19” will be broadcast on the Teagasc YouTube Channel this evening at 8:00.

The second programme in the series will be released on November 19 focusing on men’s health and wellbeing for International Men’s Day.

The final programme will go online on November 26 and will focus on self care and wellness in rural Ireland.

Professor Paul Horan, Chair of the Civic Engagement Committee at the School of Nursing and Midwifery TCD remarked that the series was “a phenomenal collaborative ground breaking project which aimed to communicate virtually with the rural community in Ireland about health and wellness in a way that overcomes the social public health restrictions of a global pandemic”.

Director of Teagasc, Professor Gerry Boyle, who conducted some of the interviews for the series, said: “Mental health and wellbeing is a concern for all of us during Covid-19. I’m delighted to be involved with such an innovative event.”