World Psychology: Ireland
The island of Ireland lies on the western edge of northern Europe. It is divided into Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, which remains part of the European Union. Many universities, including prestigious institutions such as Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin, offer psychology programs.
The establishment of the Psychological Society of Ireland/Cumann Síceolaithe Éireann (PSI) in 1970 was a landmark event, institutionalizing the discipline and setting standards for practice and research. It's worth noting that Irish psychology is deeply influenced by the country's cultural, historical, and socio-political contexts. Ireland's tumultuous history, marked by colonization, famine, and migration, has given rise to unique psychological challenges and insights.
Research hubs like the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience have made groundbreaking contributions to neuropsychology in recent decades. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on integrating indigenous Irish approaches with international best practices.
Joanne Feeney is a Research Fellow specializing in Cognitive Neuroscience for The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing [TILDA]. TILDA is a large-scale, nationally representative study that examines various aspects of aging in Ireland. It covers a wide range of topics related to older adults' physical, mental, and social well-being, and aims to make Ireland one of the best places in the world to grow old. Her research primarily focuses on identifying the factors that contribute to cognitive decline and rapid brain aging, both in terms of risk and protection. One of the studies she collaborated on looked at the relationship between sleep and the hippocampus in later life.
Tony Bates is a Clinical Psychologist with a distinguished career. He held the position of Head of Psychology at St. James's Hospital Dublin for 30 years. In 2006, Dr. Bates founded Jigsaw, The National Centre for Youth Mental Health, which is dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of young individuals. This is related to his research into the provision of mental health services for youth in Ireland. He also played an influential role in shaping government policies on mental health. Recognizing his significant contributions to the field, he was appointed honorary Professor of Psychology at UCD in September 2018. In 2001, he underwent training as a mindfulness teacher at the University of North Wales, Bangor, and has since been actively involved in promoting mindfulness practices across Ireland.
Ejiro Ogbevoen is a member of the Irish Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP), an assistant lecturer at Dublin City University, a counseling psychologist, and the founder of Black Therapists Ireland (BTI). BTI aims to diversify client choice in therapist backgrounds so everyone has access to culturally appropriate psychological support. Ogbevoen also aims to break any remaining stigma associated with therapies within African-Irish communities. Her work is informed by diverse approaches from Existential Psychotherapy to Person Centred Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Mental illness in Irish history
Ireland has a long and complicated history of mental health care that is rooted in the British colonization of the island. The British colonial administration established a public asylum system in the early nineteenth century. The Select Committee to Consider the State of the Lunatic Poor in Ireland argued that for reasons ranging from 'hereditary scrofulous (morally contaminated or corrupt) habits of the lower classes' to 'the use of ardent spirits [and] mercury', there was a high rate of 'Irish insanity' in the colony. The report of the Select Committee went on to recommend that purpose-built asylums were the appropriate intervention for this Irish disposition to insanity.
As a result of this report, the colonial government in London passed legislation for Ireland, which resulted in the establishment of nine District Asylums in different parts of the country. Part of the legislation was the 1838 Dangerous Lunatic Act, which argued that anyone who was considered "dangerous" could be admitted to an asylum against their will.
You will hear more about this law in the video below.
Your task
Watch the following video. According to this historian, what were some of the reasons for the increased number of Irish citizens being admitted to a mental asylum?
Sadly, the overuse and misuse of mental asylums are not unique to Ireland. Do some research on your own country. How would you compare your country's treatment of those with mental health issues? Has your country misused mental health facilities in a way that today would be seen as a violation of human rights?
Thank you to Abena Baiden from the International School of London, Qatar, for authoring this page.