In this week’s The Third Degree, Paul Bradley interviews Anglea McGilloway, MumTalks ambassador for Donegal.
Hi Angela, thank you for this interview. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself, please?
It’s a privilege to be asked! I’m a Derry girl, born and raised, before moving to London for medical school when I was 19. I did my medical training there and my first couple of years as a Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist at the Royal London Hospital (a super busy trauma centre). When Covid hit and a job came up in my subspecialty at Galway University Hospital, I moved to be closer to home and serve Ireland.
During my three years there I had my gorgeous little girl Dorothea. When Letterkenny advertised for a Liaison Psychiatrist, I jumped at the opportunity to allow my daughter to be closer to her extended family. And here we are!
What is MumTalks?
I didn’t know a lot of people in Galway when I moved. And there were still some post-Covid restrictions, such as antenatal classes being held online.
Pregnancy is a wonderful but vulnerable time in a woman’s life and with my profession I recognise even more the value of connection and validation through others.
I joined many groups when Dorothea was born (baby swim/sensory/massage etc.) but it was all centred around the baby. Then I attended a MumTalks breakfast event in a beautiful hotel, where I could bring my baby, meet other mums and listen to empowering speakers talk about issues that were impacting me; whether that be something about baby health or my own.
It was inspiring and reassuring in so many ways. When I moved to Donegal, I wanted to bring that to the county. It’s been really well received by Donegal mums.
Is there a wider aim of supporting women, mums or not?
Whilst the target audience is mums, the feminist ethos runs through the blood of the company; MumTalks’ origins are rooted in supporting women, but with a particular focus on this phase of many women’s lives.
The founders, Lucy O’Driscoll Edge and Kara Heriot started MumTalks seven years ago, focusing on recognising the massive transition of a woman becoming a mum. It’s expanded to include in-person and online meet ups, events, workshops and day retreats. MumTalks also collaborates with other businesses (including clothing, travel, skincare, beauty) that many of my friends who are not mums love to catch up on.
What kinds of support are available? Are older issues being replaced by newer ones?
It’s fair to say every woman’s journey into motherhood is different, but there is so much we have in common. Some might struggle with breastfeeding, maintaining social connections, or managing doubts, others with the responsibility, the change in their relationship dynamic, or physical complications from the birth. These are just examples.
Every woman has had something cause some degree of stress as they try to navigate this new experience that very little prepares you for.
I wholeheartedly agree with the phrase ‘it takes a village’, where in-person community appears much more validating than our online lives.
There is a lot of helpful information out there, but equally a lot of misinformation, and I can appreciate how a tired and overwhelmed mum may not be best placed to decipher such. MumTalks provides the best of both worlds.
Is there a need for something similar for men (because Dad Doesn’t Talk, often)?
Speak to Kara and Lucy and you’ll be told this comes up time and time again. It may be a case of watching this space!
There is a Dublin-based non-profit organisation ‘From Lads to Dads’, who run programmes and offer support to new dads, including online monthly meetings.
I can’t speak for Men’s Shed, but given their phenomenal work in the county I can imagine they provide the same judgement-free environment for any man wanting to talk about the journey into becoming a father. I also think that in Donegal we’re fortunate to have authentic male role models proud of being fathers, such as our DonegalDaddy Michael Brennan, The Wild Atlantic Traveller Kevin Dooher, and Eric Roberts, showing the impact of fatherhood on their lives and opening up these conversations.
Do the separate roles of psychiatrist, mother and MumTalks ambassador each inform the others?
I would like to think so. I definitely see the MumTalks ambassador role as altruistic as my role as a doctor. It’s about giving to the community, helping each other. Of course, MumTalks is a business, but with strong moral and societal principles behind it.
The most obvious example of my roles intertwining was at our inaugural Donegal MumTalks event in November 2024, where we had Midwife Geraldine Hanley speak about women’s mental health in the postnatal period. It’s an important topic that cannot be overstated (Post Natal Depression affects up to 15 per cent of women in the first year after having a baby). It felt great to be able to provide facts and signposting to mums, in an informal environment where I was seen as a mum, not a psychiatrist, so women could talk freely and share experiences.
I hope it also lends itself to removing some stigma surrounding mental health professionals, should it exist. That we get it.
We’re all someone’s child, perhaps someone’s sibling, partner, parent. We’re all people who are part of this county outside of our jobs.
Are your patients having new issues nowadays?
This is a very difficult question to answer as every demographic can differ, and may be best answered by a psychotherapist. As a psychiatrist we consider the biological, psychological and social factors and their complex interactions in how they manifest in illness.
Socially, many things will remain in life as stresses…. bereavement, redundancy, breakups etc. These can of course affect our mental wellbeing, but shouldn’t be pathologised into a mental illness. Though this is not to say, if we are genetically predisposed, that such social stressors could not result in the development of a serious mental illness.
Is there too much going on in people’s lives now – expecting ourselves to be, for example, professional/social/fit/good cooks/ well-dressed/getting the kids to extra-curricular activities? Have we forgotten the value of adults just relaxing or having fun?
You could be on to something there!
I was once told by a friend that I could have two of three things after having a baby, but never all three: a clean kitchen, a clean baby and clean hair. I think she was right.
Not one of us has it altogether, and I think compassion for ourselves is hugely underrated.
I often tell new mums that if they set one task for the day, even if it is to have a shower, or get out of the house for 20 minutes, that is a successful day. I admire people who can be honest about how hard parenthood can be.
Some of the most inspiring talks I’ve ever heard are from parents talking about success in one thing being proportional to sacrifice in another.
If I am presenting at a conference away from home, then I’m not with my child. I take a parental day one day a week, so I’m not clinically available for my patients. The key is knowing I can’t be all things for everyone all at once, and being OK with that.
Speaking of fun, how do you have yours?
I caught the travel bug in my 30s, so I’ve tried hard not to let that disappear with becoming a mum. I have the added challenge that I’m a single mum, but that hasn’t stopped Dorothea and me visiting England, Spain, France, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Italy, and Tunisia. She’s not even three yet, so she’s doing well with the passport stamps!
I try to get time to read, even joining a local book club, but that has definitely dropped off since becoming a mum, if you don’t count The Hungry Caterpillar and Each Peach Pear Plum.
Otherwise, I can’t pretend I’m not partial to the odd night out on the tiles with the girls…everyone needs to let their hair down once in a while!
If anyone else would like to take part in this interview, to raise a profile or an issue, please contact Paul at Dnthirddegree@gmail.com
Related posts:
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)