Workshop Accomplished

louth | miscellaneous | news report Sunday January 30, 2005 16:51 by Sean Crudden - Cooley Environmental and Health Group. sean at cooleyehg dot com Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth. 087 9739945

Fifth Annual Winter Workshop a Success

A pacy and energetic workshop took place yesterday in The Strand, Omeath. The participants sat down to dinner in The Strand after the workshop and clearly they all felt that they had invested their time and considerable efforts wisely.

Anne Muldowney who travelled from Stamullen to the workshop

The conclusion drawn by one participant in the workshop on "Organisation and Health" on Saturday 29 January 2005 in The Strand, Omeath, was that religion, health and education are the mainsprings of this country.

Bureaucracy in these areas seems to be the principal cause of frustration - anger even. "Bureaucrats are increasing like rabbits," Mary Grehan said of the health system. "Bureaucracy is choking the church," Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes commented. The greatest strictures were reserved for the educational system. "School is child abuse," Kalichi remarked. Asked by the facilitator of the workshop whether there were doctors with 6 A’s in the leaving cert who had no education Mary Grehan fearlessly replied, "Yes."

It appears to this writer - and I also facilitated the workshop - that while the remedies to these systematic maladies may indeed be simple enough they will not be entirely painless.

Speaking about the report of The Expert Group on mental health which is expected later this year John Maguire (who has briefed himself extremely well on these matters) agreed that the result will be "change but no change."

The following people attended the workshop: Sean Crudden, Anne Muldowney, Tom Johnston, Rosanna Crudden, Dessie Hynes, Derek McDonald (Dundalk FM 100), John Maguire, Kalichi, Kevin Hynes, Mary Grehan, Peter McDermott, Leonard Hatrick.

Some of the comments given by participants at the end:-

"The workshop fitted the timescale!"

"Thank you for an amazing meeting. Content unexpected. Greatly appreciated. A spiritual event."

"1. Excellent presentation
2. Speakers very interesting in particular Kalichi’s approach to Alternative Medicine & Relaxation - Physical, Psychological and Spiritual Approve (sic.)
3. Tea and Dinner excellent"

"It would help to have more discussion after speakers.

People encouraged to listen more. One voice.

But good to open discussion."

Sean Crudden - workshop facilitator.