Irish comedian Rory O'Connor is coming to Cavan this evening to encourage locals to "ask for help" if they are struggling with their mental health. The popular 'Rory Stories' figure hopes that by telling his own story of past struggles, he will give others the confidence to speak out about any concerns they may have which is putting a weight on their shoulders and causing them to suffer from poor mental health.
Speaking to Northern Sound ahead of tonight's event which will take place at the Lakeside Manor Hotel at 8pm, Rory hopes members of the audience will somehow "relate" to his own and journey and in-turn "help them along the way."
After hiding his concerns and anxieties for "too long" which led to addiction issues, Rory said he has "never looked back" since finally asking for medical help and advice ten years ago. He said life for him now is in a "much better place" and he hopes to inspire others to know that they too, can take back control.
"I would have struggled mainly in school," he explained. "Anyone who went to primary school like myself in the 80s and 90s would relate to that old school tradition of being kicked out of class for not being good at spellings or maths, which you were then considered and labelled as either dumb or stupid.
"I carried that with me for a number of years, without realising until I got older. I then struggled with addiction in the form of gambling. It brought me to a dark place and I asked for help ten years ago and in fact Rory’s Stories essentially came along after that and I haven’t looked back since."
