Kilkenny Castle is lighting up green from 27th April to 1st May as part of See Change’s 5th annual Green Ribbon campaign.
Minister for Mental Health and Older People Helen McEntee and Lord Mayor of Dublin Brendan Carr will be among the speakers at the launch.
The aim of the campaign is to get people talking about mental health in Kilkenny.
Director of See Change, John Saunders spoke about the light up, saying: “It’s wonderful to see local initiatives encouraging positive conversations about mental health in their own county".
"There’s no health without mental health, so it’s very important that we all play our part to end the silence around mental health issues”.
“You don’t need to be an expert to start talking about mental health or have all the answers. Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is let someone know you are there for them and simply listen.”
Research released by See Change ahead of the Green Ribbon campaign shows that people in Leinster, excluding Dublin, are the least likely to conceal a mental health difficulty from family, friends or colleagues.
Just 24% of those surveyed in Leinster said they wouldn’t want others to know they had a mental health difficulty, which is 14% lower than the national average of 38%.
People in Leinster were also the least likely to delay seeking treatment for a mental health problem out of fear of letting others know.
Green Ribbons will be available at major Irish Rail stations and Boots Stores across the country.
You can visit www.greenribbon.ie to order free Green Ribbons for your Community Group or Workplace.
