Niall Breslin

Niall Breslin, known as Bressie, is an Irish musician and former Westmeath Gaelic footballer and Leinster rugby player, representing Ireland at Under-21 level in the Rugby World Cup. A native of Mullingar, he attended UCD on a sports scholarship, graduating with a BA in Economics and Sociology.

He found success as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with pop band The Blizzards, as a co-writer and producer with XIX Entertainment, and as a solo artist and music producer. He was the winning coach on the first and third seasons of The Voice of Ireland.

His work in the area of mental health education and empowerment began two years ago, after his own struggles with depression and anxiety led him to open up publicly on the issue. His My1000Hours blog and training initiatives set out to explore positive and proactive ways of improving emotional fitness and managing mental stress, including through exercise, as well as educating young people about the stigma and management of mental health issues.