Irish Festival aims to lift stigma of depression

What began as a novel idea to celebrate a 30th birthday two years ago has grown into the most important arts and music festival tackling mental-health stigma in Ireland.

First Fortnight began life in 2010 as a one-night fund raising event for charities that work in the area of mental health, but such has been its success that this year it is a 10-day festival, with music gigs, art and video exhibitions, seminars and talks.

Now a registered charity in its own right, First Fortnight is so named because the first two weeks of the year are a particularly difficult period for those suffering from depression or contemplating suicide.

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