Corkman opens up about mental health for new TV documentary

CORK-born Conor O’Keefe admits he faced huge struggles growing up and in his teens.

Now an ultra marathon runner , Conor is a huge advocate for mental health and for opening up and talking out problems.

He is one of the participants in a new documentary series called I’m Fine which starts on RTÉ2 on Thursday at 9.30pm, and follows four brave and inspiring young men who share their struggles with mental health and where that journey has taken them.

Billed as a beautifully raw and moving series which really speaks to the head and the heart, the series taps into the belief that traditionally it’s been engrained into young men to be brave, not to cry and not to show emotion — but what kind of toll does that take on men in our society?

Conor, along with Lorcán McMullan, Ray Connellan, and Hugh Mulligan, all break that mould in this series and speak of how they tried to bottle up their feelings or turn a blind eye and how that caused them to spiral out of control and into harm’s way.

Episode one details the event which sparked the four men’s journeys, as they describe their lowest points, and goes on to detail how they have overcome those moments to come out the other side with a feeling of gratitude, positivity, self-reflection and happiness.

Dublin-based musician Hugh, AKA Malaki, underwent serious difficulties with depression after school and has found a huge benefit in expressing how he’s feeling through his music.

Belfast-born but Dublin-based, Lorcan worked his way to the top level of hurling, but at the cost of important interpersonal relationships. Ray, who has played for Westmeath for a number of years, recently started advocating for open communication among males in GAA