Mental illness and the troubles

Sceala Clann T.D. Location: Belfast and Donegal.

I read the book - Saints, Scholars, and Schizophrenics and concluded - a just better than typical, foreigners eye opinion of the eccentric Irish. I recall the book because I considered its presentation of - the mad Irish, provided some clear and studied effort to at least consider.

The Insane Troubles.
Every dog who lives or once lived in Belfast or Derry was involved, every one a brave or loyal volunteer.
It is very difficult to witness these poor fools, often drunks or addicts of a kind, acting this way. I have even read of known jokes of families, claiming to be proud volunteers.
At first I would get annoyed, upset from reading their immature nonsense. I took their claims as insulting to those of us who actually fought and took risks.
I changed my attitude to these people when someone pointed out to me - the other victims of our troubles. I was then able to visualize many more victims of the troubles, and also feel sorry for people I could never have otherwise.
I now consider these people with some sympathy, view their condition as another heart breaking effect of the war.
Mental illness has been calculated as a 25% larger problem here than in the south or in England.
We have terrible social problems in Belfast. Our addictions and suicides, tragedies on a scale to warrant international study. We need to find our own answers.
I attach the journal of someone who describes suffering here. His words provide a different perspective of what it means to be a victim, and living with the after effects of war.

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Mental illness and the troubles