Between the Slieve Aughty mountain range and the Burren plateau, overlooking Inchincronan Lough, a living memorial quietly draws breath. This is The Forest That Won’t Forget, which was created and commissioned by the 221+ Patient Support Group, who represent the women affected by the cervical check failures in Ireland.
The group was established in July 2018 to provide information, advice, and support to the women and families directly affected by failures in the CervicalCheck Screening Programme that emerged following Vicky Phelan’s court case in April 2018.
Today, the legacy of these women continues to be felt in the mission to transform 16ac, just north of Ennis in Co Clare into a site of memory, identity and belonging.
The land was purchased last year, and the next step is to raise sufficient funds to put the appropriate infrastructure in place to open it to the public.
Lyn Moroney is one of a core team of five women representing 221+ members in this artistic project. The five women (who have all been affected by the cervical check failures) are working with artists Fiona Whelan and John Conway, in partnership with Hometree, a nature restoration charity based in the west of Ireland. Hometree is a registered charity and a recipient of any funds raised as part of the campaigning drive.
Lyn, who is from Killorglin, Co Kerry, was subject to four incorrectly read cervical smears from the years 2009 to 2012. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2015, and she only found out much later that the smears were incorrectly read.
Invasive cancer
At present Lyn is cancer free, she says: “It is only really by the luck of God that I am here at all.
“A lot of the women who are now deceased started off with low grade abnormalities or they had just stage one cancer and they had re-occurrence of cancer.
“And that is possibly one of the only things that has saved a lot of us from death, that we haven’t had re-occurrence of cancer.
“I got the all clear and thanks be to God, at present I am cancer-free. But I will always add something on to that. Just because you’re cancer free does not mean you’re okay. It just means that you are cancer free, but you live with the lifelong effects, in particular because cervical cancer is such an invasive cancer and some
of the treatments are nothing short of barbaric.
“When you have to have radiotherapy, it’s extremely invasive and it burns left, right and centre all around you. That’s the only way to do it. And it’s using metal rods, which are inserted inside you, and you have the after effects of that for the rest of your life.
“You can have kidney problems, urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence. There’s lots of problems which are debilitating for the rest of your life, but you are alive.
“We’re very grateful to not have cancer, to be cancer-free. And we’re very grateful also for our lives, that we still have our lives, because there are so many great women that have gone before us that don’t because of this failure. But we keep fighting.
“There are women, and I know them very, very well, that are still actively fighting cancer. They are still having tumours removed from different parts of their body. They are living with life-threatening illnesses all the time because of this, and it’s heartbreaking to see that these women are still suffering.”
Artists Fiona Whelan and John Conway are working with the 221+ Patient Support Group on the project. \ Eamon Ward
Lyn says that when she and others first started working with artists Fiona and John in 2021, what emerged from the discussions is that the patient group did not want to create a static thing that people would go and visit like a monument.
“We wanted an immersive experience, something that would mean something to all people, for those that are bereaved. Something that can be adapted to everyone in many different ways.
“We’re all drawn to nature and the need for healing,” she continues. “I mean, if something happens, where do you go? You might go for a walk, you might go to the sea, you might go to a forest, you might go to your healing place.”
Share memories
Dublin artist Fiona Whelan explains that the gesture of holding this piece of land in Clare, and stewarding and caring for it, is, in itself, the public artwork. “We’re holding it as this kind of living, breathing public artwork that will outlive all of us, which is the power of it. And that really speaks to the power and the legacy and the importance of not forgetting and of holding space for this.
“I suppose the ambition is that it’s a place to go, a place to gather, to remember the past and imagine the future. Remembering previous generations for current generations, imagining future generations. It has that kind of potential as a place to go.”
One-third old woodland, one-third newly-formed woodland scrub, and one-third open space, The Forest That Won’t Forget is also a unique site of rich ecological benefit.
Species like ash and sessile oil, willow, blackthorn and hazel can be found along the western boundary of the site, and there is huge floral diversity including a purple carpet of bluebells and a 100-year-old crab apple tree.
100-year-old crab apple tree in The Forest That Won't Forget. \ Eamon Ward
Having secured the land, the forest currently functions on the symbolic level. But the group are anxious to make it a place where people can gather, remember, and share memories.
“We would hope, funding dependent, that there could be workshops, that there could be creation of all kinds of things in the forest, but also a space for seating, for toilets, paths, places to park a car and to be able to spend time there and meet people and gather,” says Fiona.
“Obviously, we want to be able to open it up to the public so that everyone can enjoy it,” Lyn echoes.
“Not just those that are affected by the CervicalCheck failures, but for anyone who has ever lost a loved one. A place of reflection, a place of hope. Now, it’s just about getting the basic infrastructure in place so that people can get there comfortably and spend time there.”
Fight for yourself
For Lyn, the journey of creating and securing the forest in Clare has been one of healing – spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
“It was great to have a focus, while trying to navigate feelings of being let down, unheard, cast aside, and so much more,” she says. “I cannot wait to have the forest open, to continue healing, and to give strength to others.”
Lyn’s advice for other women is to fight themselves when it comes to their healthcare, and to keep on top of it.
“I know that CervicalCheck has been held accountable and that we, as a country, are now on track to eliminate cervical cancer in the year 2040, which in our lifetime will be absolutely amazing –
that no other woman will have to go through this.
“Now, that is not to say that the system is perfect from a patient care point of view. We always have to stay on top of that because they could always do better and they have to do better. You can’t let your finger off the pulse.
“You have the right to question. If you’re not happy with some of your care, question it with your doctor. Question it with your consultant. I think the sooner we can learn that and adopt that ethos as commonplace, you have the right to check.”
See idonate.ie/fundraiser/theforestthatwontforget and theforestthatwontforget.ie/donate
New youth vaping campaign
The HSE campaign focuses on the harmful effects of vaping and nicotine products.
It has just been over one month since the HSE launched their newest youth vaping and nicotine prevention campaign to highlight the risks of youth vaping and nicotine use. The campaign was launched by the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, and Minister for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, school students, teachers and doctors.
Vaping products contain nicotine, which is highly addictive; and children and young people are more at risk of the negative effects of nicotine because their brains are still developing and can become more dependent on nicotine. Exposure to nicotine as a child is linked to brain development, as well as problems with attention and learning, mood, impulse control and anxiety. Vaping can also cause damage to your heart, lungs, teeth and gums, the developing brain and blood vessels.
For the first time, the HSE is working with content creators to share the message about vaping prevention and the harms of vaping. Content creators including Kasey Campion, Jim Flanno, Zara Deasy, and Billykiss who worked with the HSE to share this important message. This move repesents a huge change in the HSE communication strategy, and it could reflect a new approach to disseminating online information and tackling misinformation.
Between the Slieve Aughty mountain range and the Burren plateau, overlooking Inchincronan Lough, a living memorial quietly draws breath. This is The Forest That Won’t Forget, which was created and commissioned by the 221+ Patient Support Group, who represent the women affected by the cervical check failures in Ireland.
The group was established in July 2018 to provide information, advice, and support to the women and families directly affected by failures in the CervicalCheck Screening Programme that emerged following Vicky Phelan’s court case in April 2018.
Today, the legacy of these women continues to be felt in the mission to transform 16ac, just north of Ennis in Co Clare into a site of memory, identity and belonging.
The land was purchased last year, and the next step is to raise sufficient funds to put the appropriate infrastructure in place to open it to the public.
Lyn Moroney is one of a core team of five women representing 221+ members in this artistic project. The five women (who have all been affected by the cervical check failures) are working with artists Fiona Whelan and John Conway, in partnership with Hometree, a nature restoration charity based in the west of Ireland. Hometree is a registered charity and a recipient of any funds raised as part of the campaigning drive.
Lyn, who is from Killorglin, Co Kerry, was subject to four incorrectly read cervical smears from the years 2009 to 2012. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2015, and she only found out much later that the smears were incorrectly read.
Invasive cancer
At present Lyn is cancer free, she says: “It is only really by the luck of God that I am here at all.
“A lot of the women who are now deceased started off with low grade abnormalities or they had just stage one cancer and they had re-occurrence of cancer.
“And that is possibly one of the only things that has saved a lot of us from death, that we haven’t had re-occurrence of cancer.
“I got the all clear and thanks be to God, at present I am cancer-free. But I will always add something on to that. Just because you’re cancer free does not mean you’re okay. It just means that you are cancer free, but you live with the lifelong effects, in particular because cervical cancer is such an invasive cancer and some
of the treatments are nothing short of barbaric.
“When you have to have radiotherapy, it’s extremely invasive and it burns left, right and centre all around you. That’s the only way to do it. And it’s using metal rods, which are inserted inside you, and you have the after effects of that for the rest of your life.
“You can have kidney problems, urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence. There’s lots of problems which are debilitating for the rest of your life, but you are alive.
“We’re very grateful to not have cancer, to be cancer-free. And we’re very grateful also for our lives, that we still have our lives, because there are so many great women that have gone before us that don’t because of this failure. But we keep fighting.
“There are women, and I know them very, very well, that are still actively fighting cancer. They are still having tumours removed from different parts of their body. They are living with life-threatening illnesses all the time because of this, and it’s heartbreaking to see that these women are still suffering.”
Artists Fiona Whelan and John Conway are working with the 221+ Patient Support Group on the project. \ Eamon Ward
Lyn says that when she and others first started working with artists Fiona and John in 2021, what emerged from the discussions is that the patient group did not want to create a static thing that people would go and visit like a monument.
“We wanted an immersive experience, something that would mean something to all people, for those that are bereaved. Something that can be adapted to everyone in many different ways.
“We’re all drawn to nature and the need for healing,” she continues. “I mean, if something happens, where do you go? You might go for a walk, you might go to the sea, you might go to a forest, you might go to your healing place.”
Share memories
Dublin artist Fiona Whelan explains that the gesture of holding this piece of land in Clare, and stewarding and caring for it, is, in itself, the public artwork. “We’re holding it as this kind of living, breathing public artwork that will outlive all of us, which is the power of it. And that really speaks to the power and the legacy and the importance of not forgetting and of holding space for this.
“I suppose the ambition is that it’s a place to go, a place to gather, to remember the past and imagine the future. Remembering previous generations for current generations, imagining future generations. It has that kind of potential as a place to go.”
One-third old woodland, one-third newly-formed woodland scrub, and one-third open space, The Forest That Won’t Forget is also a unique site of rich ecological benefit.
Species like ash and sessile oil, willow, blackthorn and hazel can be found along the western boundary of the site, and there is huge floral diversity including a purple carpet of bluebells and a 100-year-old crab apple tree.
100-year-old crab apple tree in The Forest That Won't Forget. \ Eamon Ward
Having secured the land, the forest currently functions on the symbolic level. But the group are anxious to make it a place where people can gather, remember, and share memories.
“We would hope, funding dependent, that there could be workshops, that there could be creation of all kinds of things in the forest, but also a space for seating, for toilets, paths, places to park a car and to be able to spend time there and meet people and gather,” says Fiona.
“Obviously, we want to be able to open it up to the public so that everyone can enjoy it,” Lyn echoes.
“Not just those that are affected by the CervicalCheck failures, but for anyone who has ever lost a loved one. A place of reflection, a place of hope. Now, it’s just about getting the basic infrastructure in place so that people can get there comfortably and spend time there.”
Fight for yourself
For Lyn, the journey of creating and securing the forest in Clare has been one of healing – spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
“It was great to have a focus, while trying to navigate feelings of being let down, unheard, cast aside, and so much more,” she says. “I cannot wait to have the forest open, to continue healing, and to give strength to others.”
Lyn’s advice for other women is to fight themselves when it comes to their healthcare, and to keep on top of it.
“I know that CervicalCheck has been held accountable and that we, as a country, are now on track to eliminate cervical cancer in the year 2040, which in our lifetime will be absolutely amazing –
that no other woman will have to go through this.
“Now, that is not to say that the system is perfect from a patient care point of view. We always have to stay on top of that because they could always do better and they have to do better. You can’t let your finger off the pulse.
“You have the right to question. If you’re not happy with some of your care, question it with your doctor. Question it with your consultant. I think the sooner we can learn that and adopt that ethos as commonplace, you have the right to check.”
See idonate.ie/fundraiser/theforestthatwontforget and theforestthatwontforget.ie/donate
New youth vaping campaign
The HSE campaign focuses on the harmful effects of vaping and nicotine products.
It has just been over one month since the HSE launched their newest youth vaping and nicotine prevention campaign to highlight the risks of youth vaping and nicotine use. The campaign was launched by the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, and Minister for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, school students, teachers and doctors.
Vaping products contain nicotine, which is highly addictive; and children and young people are more at risk of the negative effects of nicotine because their brains are still developing and can become more dependent on nicotine. Exposure to nicotine as a child is linked to brain development, as well as problems with attention and learning, mood, impulse control and anxiety. Vaping can also cause damage to your heart, lungs, teeth and gums, the developing brain and blood vessels.
For the first time, the HSE is working with content creators to share the message about vaping prevention and the harms of vaping. Content creators including Kasey Campion, Jim Flanno, Zara Deasy, and Billykiss who worked with the HSE to share this important message. This move repesents a huge change in the HSE communication strategy, and it could reflect a new approach to disseminating online information and tackling misinformation.
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