Following a 16-venue tour in 2021, Pure Mental returns to Riverbank Arts Centre for two special performances, as part of First Fortnight Festival.

Having finished up a 5-year stint presenting on National Radio, in the pressure cooker that is a breakfast show, Keith Walsh found a bit of time for himself.  More importantly, he found time to check in with his mental health. Midlife Crisis? Midlife awakening? Breakdown? Join him on a journey of introspection and exploration, as he locates his demons and traumas in order to try and find the real person underneath the fuzzy mess of stress.

Pure Mental is a live theatre show put together with the help of acclaimed performer, writer and director Janet Moran (A Holy Show, Swing and Looking for América) in the strangest of Covid times – sometimes working in different rooms, often in different counties.

“Walsh has an engaging personality & a fine stage presence…an inspiring piece of positive thinking laced with humour…“  “Director & co-writer Janet Moran has a sharp eye for the comic potential in small details”  Irish Mail on Sunday

Credits: Keith Walsh – Writer/Performer

Janet Moran – Director/Co-Writer

Phil Jennings – Production Designer

Following his performance on Saturday 14 January Keith Walsh will be joined for a Q&A discussion by Zoryana Pshyk. Zoryana Pshyk holds BA and Masters in Ukrainian Philology from Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine, and a Higher Diploma in Further Education, and Masters in Adult and Community Education from Maynooth University.
Currently, Zoryana works with College Connect as a Community Connector, based at Maynooth University, with this role embedded in the Access Programme. She also lectures Philosophy of Adult Education with the Department of Adult and Community Education, MU.Prior to joining the College Connect team, Zoryana gained extensive experience as an adult and community educator and facilitator, working as a Community Education Outreach worker (KWETB), and having freelanced with Leargas National Agency and Partners Training for Transformation. In her role as a Community Connector, Zoryana supports groups who ordinarily do not go to college such as people with convictions, homeless, asylum seekers and refugees, people with disabilities, lone parents, mature students, and so forth.

Zoryana spent six years living in the Direct Provision System (DPS). This experience shaped her into the person she is today. It prompted her to go back to university as a mature student, to make meaning of her experience with the help of education. Having to unlearn institutionalisation after the DPS, Zoryana became interested in trauma and its affects, and has been up-taking a number of courses with Thomas Hübl.

Zoryana truly believes that education changes people’s lives and that people make the world a better place for everyone. Zoryana is passionate about social justice, diversity and inclusion, and writes on topics of adult education, Freirean philosophy, voice and experiences of asylum seekers and refugees.

Pure Mental was originally produced by Riverbank Arts Centre with the support of the Arts Council, Creative Ireland and Kildare County Council, with additional support by Mermaid Arts Centre in 2021.