The new boys’ clubs: ‘This isn’t a place for banter. Having fun is absolutely fine, but very often men deflect away from their feelings by making jokes’
From ice baths to mountain hikes, groups of men are coming together to shun toxic masculinity, banter and booze in favour of opening up about their mental health. We find out how they are using the therapeutic power of the great outdoors to create a safe space to share
Members of the Blueballs Ireland sea-swimming group. Picture: Fergal Phillips — © Fergal Phillips
Alex Meehan
It’s a Tuesday evening in south Dublin, and I’m inching my way into what can only be described as absolutely freezing water at the Forty Foot. I’ve done my share of sea swimming, but usually in summer, and despite it being around 10C today, the wind makes it feel more like -10C.
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