ATU - International Men’s Day

ATU celebrates International Men’s Day with series of events and talks (19 November) in partnership with Galway City Council’s ‘Healthy Ireland’ initiative

International Men’s Day on Tuesday 19 November (2024) is an opportunity for people everywhere to celebrate the men in their lives and the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities. The theme for 2024 is ‘Positive Male Role Models’.  This year ATU Galway-Mayo Student Services, Students’ Union, and members of the Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee are delighted to partner with Galway City Council ‘Healthy Ireland’ to deliver a flagship event to celebrate and connect the men in our community.

City barbers ‘Nelki’s’ and ‘The Sanctuary’ will be onsite on the Dublin road campus, Galway City, offering haircuts to students from 12 to 3pm. Refreshments will be available and there will some giveaways too.

From 1 to 2pm in Theatre 1000, Renagh Linnane, ATU Student Counsellor, and Chair of the ATU Galway Mayo Mental Health Task Force, will welcome Máirtín Óg McDonagh, author, coach, and founder of Mind Over Mountains, an initiative that combines coaching, mentoring and the great outdoors; Stephen Murphy, poet, reciter & author; and Kevin Nugent entrepreneur, local business owner and philanthropist, for what promises to be a lively discussion on this year’s theme ‘Positive Male Role Models’.

Máirtín, whose second book, “Difficult Conversations: Dialling into Every Aspect of Your Life”, due to be launched later this month, offers the following insight “difficult conversations are something men tend to avoid with disastrous consequences for them, their families and peers but those conversations must be encouraged to dial in, talk and be heard”.

Renagh Linnane, ATU Counsellor and Chair of the ATU Galway Mayo Mental Health taskforce, says “I am delighted to MC this event which will celebrate and connect the men in our community. The panel discussion will be streamed to all of ATU’s nine campuses, and a variety of other activities and events will be held across the university in the west and north-west.  ATU and Galway City Council would like to express their huge appreciation to all the barbers and speakers who so willingly and generously are offering their time, skill and wisdom.”

Aisling Colreavy, Galway City Council ‘Healthy Ireland’ Co-ordinator, says: “We are extremely excited to partner with ATU Student Services for what promises to be a fantastic and engaging event. International Men's Day allows us an opportunity to celebrate the incredible men in our communities, our homes, our workplaces and in our schools and colleges. We hope that this event and panel discussion will inspire men to connect and support one another.”

The ATU Galway Mayo Mental Health Task Force is a working group which comprises internal and external stakeholders who aim to develop initiatives and enhance systems in line with the Higher Education Authority (HEA)’s – National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework (2020) recommendations, and under the guidance of the ATU wide Mental health Steering Group).

Healthy Ireland is a government-led initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of everyone living in Ireland.