Kevin Fitzgerald

Social housing support worker - love sport @abercynonrfc @PontypriddRFC @LFC @UFC

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@Jnavidi @tfwrail Exactly. Hopefully in our near future we will catch up with most cities in the UK, where there is collab between transport & event organisers to provide good service to customers. Appears there is more investment being put into checking tickets than providing better service

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@tfwrail I understand a safety system. However when local people turn up at Central to go home and told they have to go to Queen St for safety, when there is literally nobody queuing at front of station, you have to question the businesses motives and compliance of their staff.

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@tfwrail I am commuting by car at present and got off at Queen Street, so was not aware. Normally you close QS, hence why i went to Central. When I tried to explain this to one of your staff, they replied "well I have seen it advertised all week" and then I just got "go to QS, go to QS"

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@tfwrail Also please advertise better. I didnt see any instructions to return via QS and staff didn't notify me. When I questioned it, one of your staff said they've seen the information, so why haven't I 🤷‍♂️ I appreciate the efforts to change, just frustrating by the poor CS today

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@tfwrail I get that and as someone who regularly attends events in Cardiff, I am glad the company is trying something different. However please dont lose common sense, I could have walked onto the train, by the same time I communicated with your staff. Waste of everyone's time

[Stan Collymore @StanCollymore]

Suicide.

I'm choosing to be deliberately blunt and provocative in this post because it's necessary. Government, charities, football clubs are all pushing water up a hill in highlighting what is undoubtedly a major health crisis.

You take a rope.
You put it up in a garage or a tree nearby or far away.
You're thinking about every loved one you'll leave behind as you put that rope around your neck.
Then you drop.

Some are decapitated.
Some aren't.
All are found by someone who has a lifetime of trauma that will never leave them.
A son.
A daughter.
A brother.
A sister.
A mother.
A father.

I know 2 men who hung themselves.

One was found by his Mom.
One was found by his brother.
Neither have recovered fully. 20 and 30 years on.

A life sentence for people who were already worrying, terrified their loved one may do something.

So just visualise the above and ask, "is there another way"?

A segway for a moment.

I do a few Q&A's every year. Tales of yesterday with a 99% male audience of my age group.

After the stories and fun, my last question back to the audience is..

"Hands up if you struggle with a mental health issue".

Nobody ever puts a hand up. Despite 1 in every 3 of 500 attendees statistically struggling.

"Ah, nobody, that's fucking brilliant! Well I do! ". I then graphically tell people, stunned into silence about how a rope around my neck in the middle of nowhere jolted me to go home and cry like a baby to my Mom.

After the Q&A has finished, something always happens. I'll be chatting to a few guys, saying bye and one by one, men will come over and whisper " I struggle".

Or my mailbox the next day will have 30 emails from guys, their partners or kids saying " Dad/Uncle /Brother was there last night and what you said hit them hard".

And that's how some people realise that it's time to speak to a pal or family member or even rant to me in an email. It works, I often get a follow up email a year or 6 later saying that they took responsibility for their suicidal feelings and are now flying.

Humans are programmed to want to live, to have families and to keep the species growing and thriving. So for a human to want to short circuit that desire isn't normal, and it should never be spoken of as normal. It's the ultimate red flag.

If you suspect your mate, Dad, Brother, Uncle is struggling mentally, they deserve your intervention.

They deserve a " are you OK, please tell me what's up".

They deserve an opportunity to get past wanting to hang a rope over a tree or in a garage and slowly struggle until they die and you find them.

If you've been there and trust me I have plenty, then you'll know that text out of the blue, or a footie mate or one of your kids asking jow you are can open the curtains to some sunshine.

Because when suicide is your only answer, the room is already dark, and you can't see a way out.

So please, fucking pretty please, ask that husband, Dad, Uncle, Cousin, footie pal TODAY how they are.

You may be shocked what comes back but extremely glad that you asked.

For those who struggle, you're not alone.

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@cardiffstu @WelshRugbyUnion @WalesRugby @Steffan_Thomas1 mate I love you, and mean no disrespect, but people didn't give a fuck when they fucked ponty. Do yourself a favour and don't get wound up by it, you can't change dictatorship. And its likely Cardiff will come out ok as usual 🙄

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@philsteele1 Not only a great player, a gentleman and a cult hero. Not many players can be labelled that regardless how great they are. He loved and embraced the supporters and we adored him for it, regardless who we support.

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@rhysblumberg @DRA_Community Love this, what rugby is all about. Keep up the great work all involved

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

Shame about the result l, but great atmosphere

[Welsh Rugby Union 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @WelshRugbyUnion]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 𝘿𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙘𝙝 | Strong Welsh support in Rome this afternoon 👏

#GuinnessM6N

[Welsh Rugby Union 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @WelshRugbyUnion]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 𝘿𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙘𝙝 | Strong Welsh support in Rome this afternoon 👏

#GuinnessM6N

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@marcbenjones You're hard

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

While enjoying the WC, we went to watch Biarritz play. After the match this young man picked up the rubbish left by his group of 30+. da iawn, bien joué.A credit to the club and the game, please reward him. #rugbyworldcup2023
@BOPBweb @rugbyworldcup @France2023

[Andy Goode @AndyGoode10]

Josh Adams showing the world the perfect tackle technique! He hit him so hard he pulled his pants down!!

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@cardiffstu @Jakesmummmm @bluesman74 On the train I was desperately trying to get in the toilet as though I was going to spew on the french kid. My favourite was throwing sharp knives at you 🤣

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@y_ropy_footman @RecluseTom didn't say you were on bbcqt butt 🤷‍♂️

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@KingKongBendy @pickleleft6 @AVFCOfficial Steve Bruce 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@KingKongBendy @pickleleft6 @AVFCOfficial Bye bye great players, then bye bye villa. You had a manager with a massive reputation there, who pulled in players beyond your level. No loyalty in this game

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

@sportbible Stick a 1 in front of it

[Kevin Fitzgerald @fitzybear619]

What a stunning place Montenegro is. Will be 100% revisiting ❤ https://t.co/dHOfsUalMJ