Unspoken: New documentary on male eating disorders airs tonight on RTÉ 

Unspoken looks at an often-overlooked crisis in our health system through the eyes of three young men that have been through it

Cormac Ryan: one of three men at the heart of the  Unspoken documentary on RTÉ One.

A documentary intended by broadcasters RTÉ as a 'landmark' in Irish coverage of men's health issues airs tonight on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

Unspoken, airing at 10.15pm and directed by acclaimed Irish filmmaker Alan Bradley, takes a firsthand look at eating disorders in Irish men, examining the failures in our public healthcare system in dealing with the issue.

Three men will share their stories - former Dublin minor hurler Cormac Ryan, Cork-born "ordinary guy" Eoin Kernan, and Mayo law graduate Daniel O'Boyle - speaking about their experiences and struggles in the first time male eating disorders have been tackled in an Irish television production.

Daniel O'Boyle: contended with a lack of ED services in the country's West.

Cormac, in realising his issues and reaching a point of crisis, reaches out and begins to seek help and navigating the health system; Daniel contends with a lack of eating disorder services in the West of Ireland; and Eoin observes his journey with ED through its beginnings in a 'health kick', compounded by the self-image issues that abound in modern culture.

The documentary comes as Bodywhys: The Eating Disorder Association of Ireland has seen a 105% increase in men seeking help through its services in 2021. 

Despite the increase in men coming forward, there remain many issues for men with coming forward, seeking a diagnosis and entering treatment.

Eoin Kernan: ED issues stemmed from a 'health kick'.

"A belief that eating disorders are a ‘female problem/illness’ is part of the stigma faced by men. It may take some men months or years to acknowledge their experiences as being that of an eating disorder. This can delay help-seeking and lead to the illness becoming more entrenched," says the charity. 

Lending their expertise to the programme are Dr. Michelle Clifford, clinical lead for the HSE's National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders, and ED specialist Dr. Kielty Oberlin.

• Unspoken airs tonight on RTÉ One at 10.15pm - and will be available on-demand via RTÉ Player: available on desktop, on smartphone/smart TV apps, as well as select PlayStation and XBox consoles.

If you or a loved one are affected by the subject matter in this story, please contact:

• Bodywhys Helpline: 01-2107906 
• Bodywhys E-mail Support Service: [e-mail] 
• HSE Eating Disorder Self Care App: In March 2019 the HSE has launched the first Self Care App - which provides valuable information for those with or people caring for someone with an eating disorder.