Our second guiding principle is Mutual Support, and both of these themes were on full display at our annual Electroshock Protest in Dublin on Saturday, May 29th. With the necessary preparatory work being conducted by the WhatsApp Protest Group, mutual support came from many parts of Ireland and abroad, specifically from Amy, Jeroen, Derek, Michelle, Gavin, Colette, Derry, Eilis, David, Margaret, Mary, Jim and Anna from Manchester. The groundwork of posters, leaflets, megaphones, music, banners and speeches was shared by all. The protest took place on the steps of the iconic and historic General Post Office on O’Connell Street, and to mark the fact that the greatest number of electroshock procedures in Ireland are carried out in the two Dublin institutions of St. Patrick’s and St. John of God’s. Our mission to educate the public about the issue and highlight its disproportionate use on women, many of whom are elderly, was proclaimed throughout the 3-hour protest, with testimonies given by individuals with personal experience of the inhumane and outdated procedure.
It is so important to state how all involved, many but not all of whom were psychiatric survivors themselves, felt so encouraged, so empowered, so included, so united, so heard, so invigorated, so appreciated, so uplifted, so proud and so mutually supported to be so much part of the activism of the day, leaving all with a tremendous glow of warm solidarity and enthusiasm in a spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. Yes, we are small in numbers, yes, we are ‘sinn fein’, but we stand united and determined. We will continue to speak truth to power, to expose the fraudulent nature of bio and coercive psychiatry, its discriminating-for-life labels, its forceful drugging and its pseudo-scientific nature.
MFIrl would like to congratulate Jeroen on the publication in the Spring of his book ‘Psychiatry and the Joy of Living Together’, which was launched at an event in Mullingar Library.
MFIrl operates on a shoestring and refuses donations that compromise its core principles, but we were pleased to accept a very welcome donation from the proceeds of a fundraising day at her local golf club in Manchester, organised by Anna Morrone, an event also addressed by Derek.
In November, the 17th annual Critical Voices Network Ireland conference was held in University College Cork with the title ‘Supporting People in Distress: Critical Perspectives on Safe Places and Spaces’. As has been the case over many years, MFIrl presented two workshops. The first was by Jeroen, where he spoke about his recently published book, while Monika and Mary talked about ‘Staying Safe Our Way’, and the ‘Freedom Friends’ musical group performed a poem written by deceased member Diarmuid and set to music by Mary.
Unable to travel in 2025, MFIrl will host another annual visit next May from Dr Karen McCarthy and her Occupational therapy students from the Dominican University of California to maintain strong links which date back to when Karen was a lecturer in UCC.
MFIrl would also like to place on record its gratitude to Tim Hurley for his help and assistance in updating our website and doing so voluntarily.
Continuing the principle of Mutual Support, the MFIrl Zoom group operated monthly, and many people throughout the country were helped when seeking support, especially on the issue of psychotropic drug withdrawal.
Finally, as usual, we remember our deceased members and supporters – Helena King, Tim Nyhan, Carmel Delaney, Donna Clayton, Rosaleen O’Rourke, Eileen Aherne, John McCarthy and Diarmuid Considine. This year, we also mourn the passing of our dear friend Ted Chabasinski, whom we were honoured to host at our conference in Carrigaline in 2011. Ted, a US attorney, had been a recipient of electroshock at the age of 4 and had campaigned tirelessly for its abolition throughout his life. May they all rest in peace.
Jim Maddock.
6th January, 2026.