Stephen Fry Pledges Support For First Fortnight: Ireland’s Only Mental Health- Based Arts Festival
STEPHEN FRY is many things. The ultimate Renaissance Man, Fry is best known to the public as an actor, comedian, broadcaster, director and an author of far too many books to mention.
Fry, however, is also an activist; for many years, he has been vocal about mental health awareness. Diagnosed with bi- polar disorder, Fry is one of a few high- profile figures who have been instrumental in raising awareness of mental health issues. In 2006, Fry made ‘Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive’, a documentary that chronicled his struggles with bi- polar disorder.
Unsurprisingly, then, Fry was unequivocal in his support for First Fortnight, Ireland’s only mental health- based arts festival. The yearly festival, which started on January 2nd and runs until January 11th, aims to challenge the stigma and prejudice surrounding mental health through the arts. Fry sent this tweet to his 6.5million followers:
Just last year, Fry gave an insight into his condition: “I have a condition which requires me to take medication so that I don’t get either too hyper or too depressed to the point of suicide.”, adding that he “attempted it [suicide] last year.”
The story of Fry’s endorsement of First Fortnight has since been picked up by RTÉ, the Irish Independent and the Herlad.
