Loneliness is quietly becoming an epidemic.

But when a local artist took to Cork’s St Patrick’s Street with an open heart and outstretched arms, she uncovered something powerful: a deep, often unspoken hunger for human connection.

Jena Keating, from Midleton, set out to shine a light on “the loneliness that lives so heavily in people’s lives in Ireland.” Her approach was simple yet striking—an invitation that stirred curiosity, confusion, and heartfelt gratitude: “No prejudice. One hug. 20 seconds.”

“Standing outside Brown Thomas for an hour and a half I hugged strangers barefooted and blindfolded to break the barrier of disconnection so many Irish feel in their days to days.” Jena told us.

“In a study conducted by AXA 17,000 people from nine country’s participated and Ireland came last in mind health. With ever growing problems within the global scale and even our own economy, people are left to deal with the internal burden of all that comes with it.

‘It’s okay to be heard’

It’s not the first time Jena has tackled a big issue in her own creative way. In 2018, she stood alone on St Patrick’s Street wearing only underwear, with tape placed over her mouth and the words ‘this is not consent’ written all over her body.

“I held a protest in 2018 for the court case of a women’s underwear being held in court against her and today is the carry on of what knowledge that gave me on that day: community and connection is everything.”

“Today I hugged people from all corners, one crying in my arms and many shared stories that were heavy for them to carry alone.

“I’m grateful I got to facilitate someone’s moment to take a breather and feel it’s okay to be heard in their pain.”