'Don't be macho' - men put on make-up to encourage others to talk about problems
A group of seven friends, living across the world, have got together to put their make-up on in a hilarious video for charity - to encourage men to stop being so macho and talk about their feelings.
The lads, who originally hail from Navan, Co. Meath, can be seen sidelining their macho activities and getting in touch with their feminine side by donning foundation and blusher.
The serious side to the video which is in aid of the Suicide Awareness and Prevention group SOSAD is to highlight that it's ok not to feel ok and ask for help, even for the most macho!
The idea of the video was the brainchild of James Ayers (34) who got in touch with his old school-friends from his home in Canada.
He managed to rope in friends Ciaran Rogers, Gary Turner, Ronan O'Reilly, Paul Duffy, Cathal Kennedy and Chris Kennedy with ease
To the tune of The Village People's Macho Man, the boys are all weigh-lifting, drinking beer and other 'manly' activities before a make-up brush is landed in their lap and they change into their feminine alter-ego.
One rule was that they weren't allowed to seek the help of their girlfriends in applying make-up, which they all managed to complete to an impressive standard.
No smudged eyes or lipstick and no foundation lines around the neck - the lads even dress up before posing and pouting for the camera.
"I saw my friend Chris's wife do a similar video with her girlfriends and I suggested we do the same for a laugh," said James.
"We have been a tight group since we were in our teens and are always up for a laugh so it didn't take much convincing for anyone.
"I'm in Canada, Cathal is in Australia and the rest are still in Navan but we've been through everything together over the years - up times and down times - so we know how important it is to talk through things with each other
"Choosing SOSAD as our charity was easy. Everyone deals with mental health issues and men have a harder time expressing their problems so if this video can help SOSAD and maybe encourage more men to open up a little about their problems, it would be incredible
"We all did our own make-up. I said from the start that we couldn't get help from the 'wags' but we were all told what products and pallets we couldn't touch!
"At the end of it though, we all agreed that women put an awful amount of effort into their looks. None of us knew how to apply or more importantly remove mascara! The whole process has really been hilarious."
You can watch the video here and donate to SOSAD at Sosadireland.ie
