MUSIC VIDEO – ‘Mind your words – they can hurt others’

‘MIND your words… they can hurt’ is the powerful message delivered by a group of talented young people in a new video they have produced.

Cast Cic in association Much Ado Stage School released their heartfelt video to help create awareness of people’s cruel words and the detrimental effect they can have.

The young people from across Tyrone came together to create a music video to the song ‘Your Words’ which was written by Rois Kelly-Lynch from Castlederg.

Rois explained, “It was all about promoting safer online use and watching the comments that are made behind a keyboard but knowing how detrimental they can be if they they are taken the wrong way. And being aware of how such comments can harm somebody.

“Young people on social media have to be careful about the words they say. The suicide statistics speak for themselves. Here in Northern Ireland we have the highest number of suicides in the whole of Europe and we are trying to get the message across that words can be said really easily but can stay in someone’s mind forever. I am sure anybody who has had something horrible said to them in the past knows that it does linger in their head and those words can’t be taken back.”

The video is particularly prominent following the death by suicide of TV personality Caroline Flack.

Rois said, “I met Caroline Flack when Janet Devlin (from Gortin) was on X Factor. It really is so tragic and we are just hoping that the music video will reach out and spread this message.

“Even if it just changes the opinion of a few people then at least we have put out our message.”

Cast Cic received around £4,500 funding from Hope for Youths towards doing workshops for young people on mental health and to create a music video.

Between Youtube and Facebook, there has been over 180,000 views of the video and has it attracted massive online attention including mental health charities.

The video was filmed in Baronscourt Estate, drummer Gareth Lowry recorded the young people’s vocals, and Niall Carlin in Double Jump film company put the vocals to the video.

Rois continued, “It was very important for us that everyone’s voice was heard and involved. We just want to spread this message and hopefully encourage change,” concluded Rois.