Ray Connellan, aged 27, from Athlone, Co. Westmeath is an inter-county footballer, final year student in UCD, former AFL athlete, brother, son, friend and so much more. Like so many young men Ray went through a period in his late teens of grappling with mental health challenges, life events colliding and leading to thoughts and emotions he did not have the skills to deal with at the time. Ray told his story and journey through that period of his life so eloquently as part of the RTE series “I’m Fine” which showcased the stories of four young men navigating their journeys of mental health.
Luckily Ray had good people around him, developed positive coping strategies and is living a very full life. He demonstrates we are each more than the labels on our bio, that each one of us is susceptible at times due to unavoidable circumstances to rough patches, but that there is so much life and living on the far side. Ray currently plays Gaelic football for Athlone, UCD and Westmeath GAA having previously played Australian Rules Football for St. Kilda F.C and Essendon F.C. and is in his final year studying English and Geography in UCD.
