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Éirim an Iarthair 1 A CARING WORLD CION IS CÚRAM Working with Intellectual Disability in Galway A history of the Galway Association / Ability West – Éirim an Iarthair Commissioned by Ability West – Éirim an Iarthair Compiled by Caoilte and Elske Breatnach Edited by Caoilte Breatnach 2 A Caring World Ability West "We took it on as if we owned the world" Della Burke, Tuam Éirim an Iarthair Contents 3 INTRODUCTION 4 e 1960s 7 Humble Beginnings e 1970s 25 Building A Strong Organisation In e County Growth Of Branches, Services And Debts e 1980s 47 Consolidating Services During Recessionary Times Increasing Public Awareness Of Disability e 1990s 66 Looking Beyond Ireland To Europe Capital Investment Programmes And Expansion Of Services A New Millennium 81 Looking To e Future 98 Profiles: 104 A Credit To eir Parents Profiles: 125 e Pulse Of e Association APPENDIX A 198 A Chronology Of Main Events, 1962-2007 APPENDIX B 216 Officers Of e Association, 1962-2007 Voluntary Structure Of e Association Officer Boards As ey Appear In e Annual Reports 4 A Caring World Ability West Introduction In 1962, a letter from a parent in the Connacht Tribune referred to a conference held in Dublin to promote a greater understanding amongst people “interested in the welfare of the mentally handicapped, to repudiate the misconception associated with this social problem and to stimulate further efforts by State and voluntary bodies.” The congress had been organised by the Brothers of St John of God under the title new world dawned. In Ireland, the first programme of “The Right to Light”. A significant title, emphasised the economic expansion had begun in 1958, followed by parent, for it indicated that “backward children have a right another in 1963, under Seán Lemass. On New Year’s Eve, not only to physical comforts and love but to all the aids that 1961, RTE had gone on air and later that year, Ireland man can provide to bring light to mind.” applied for EEC membership. “We had sent the first man When the Galway Association began providing services in into outer space. John F. Kennedy had become President of the 1960s, its main emphasis was on securing educational the U.S.A. and Martin Luther King had emerged as a services for children with special needs. A leaflet from the campaigner for the rights of black people in the U.S.” Galway Association (Sept 1st 1963) described the lack of And in Galway, a parent of a child with special needs such facilities as “a grave scandal and a shocking indictment found himself writing again to the Connacht Tribune, of our educational system.” because nobody responded to his first letter. But in 1963, Such a lack of suitable facilities meant that both adults and with the help of the INTO and others in Galway, the wheels children with varying degrees of intellectual disability were had begun to grind into motion. Encouraged by parents and inappropriately placed in psychiatric institutions. This friends, by politicians and professionals in the field, and by shameful fact was not lost on Peadar Burns, Chairman of the the National Association of Mentally Handicapped in Association (during 1970s and 1990s). It took a huge effort Ireland, the Association began to make its mark. At the end and commitment on the part of the Association and its of the decade, the Galway Association, as it became known, branches, parents and friends to initiate and organise the had established firm roots in the county. By the end of its basic services that were required. first year, the fledgling Association had managed to raise The nineteen sixties brought a wind of change to Ireland, £1,000. Now firmly established, almost 50 years later, it has wrote Seán Conneally on the Association’s 20th anniversary become a large organisation providing a range of services in 1983. Rock ‘n Roll had been firmly established; a brave with core funding amounting to in excess of €23 million. Éirim an Iarthair Introduction 5 Now called Ability West - Éirim an Iarthair, the Association Association and its members, parents and friends. In has come a long way. Its success to date is clearly due to the compiling this history, we interviewed over 70 people about commitment of its Board, to a dedicated staff, to the families their involvement over the years. They include parents, of people with intellectual disabilities and to the energy and service users, branch members, staff, and members of the drive of its many volunteers, working both through the Board. We were afforded access to Annual Reports (1973- branches and individually. Remembered, too, are those who 2006) and various documents, and to minutes of the early have passed away, parents, staff, members and volunteers who meetings of the Association and some branches. The died while this book was in preparation (in 2009). When it chronicles compiled by Seán Conneally, Kevin Whelan and started in the 1960s, the Association regarded education as Tom Hogan also informed our work. a constitutional right, not as a special favour. In secondary schools and universities, scholarships were available for Writing a history outstanding students, yet the State neglected the “boy and The book is laid out in three sections: 1) History of the girl whose place at the bottom of the class cannot be Association; 2) Profiles (edited extracts from the interviews); attributed to laziness” (Connacht Tribune, Sept 29, 1962). 3) Appendix A: a chronology of main events, 1962-2007; The Association and its branches had a long way to travel Appendix B: List of Board members and Branch officers. during the decades that followed in helping to change the Our narrative is based on information from the Annual public perception of disability. Reports and on the interviews we conducted. For illustrative In 1962, the congress organised by the Brothers of St John material we have used photographs and images previously of God highlighted the common misconception about published by the Association and others, to whom we are ‘mental handicap’, i.e. that affected individuals would grow most grateful. We wish also to acknowledge the work, where out of it, if left alone (see Appendix A). And in rural Ireland, used, of the Connacht Tribune, Tadhg Keady, and of other explained a Mountbellew Branch member, “to have a unattributed photographers whom we failed to identify handicapped child born into the family was interpreted as from the archive. We sincerely thank the various individuals having committed some terrible sin and it brought shame and branch members who supplied photos, not all of which and guilt on the family.” Even a mild handicap could be an could be included in view of space constraints. impediment to seeking employment or going into certain Most of the present-day photographs were taken by David vocations, she said. Others in the county had a different Ruffles, to whom we are indebted for his commitment and story, and more positive experiences with the clergy. Now, patience during this time-consuming project. David was in the New Millennium, things have moved on to a more inspired by the work of the famous photographer, Sebastiäo enlightened plane. But the issue of adequate funding, as Salgado, who said: ‘It’s not the photographer who makes the always, remains a bone of contention. picture, but the person being photographed.’ The authors of this book were commissioned first and “Salgado’s words set the scene for the approach I used in foremost to record and convey the hard work of the photographing this story. What shines out is the humanity 6 A Caring World Ability West present in the relationships between all those involved in Michael Cahill; Seán Conneally, Antoine Ó Loingsigh, Tom Ability West: families, service users, and staff. This warmth and Hogan, Páraic Lawless, Pearl Finnegan, Eoghan O’Sullivan, positive ambience flows from the photographs to the viewer.” Isabelle Carter, Tom Garvey, Peadar Burns, Breda Burke, We were guided in our efforts by Margaret McGinley, Jim Mary Fahy, Marie O’Dowd, Sheila Stanley and her daughter Kennedy, Eileen Costello Conneely, Therese King and Paul Patricia, Anne O’Connor, Seán McDonnell, Eileen Molloy, Tierney of the project advisory group, and by Ann Donovan, Anne Gill, Bosco McDermott, Michael Kennedy, Priya Pearl Finnegan, Tom Garvey, and Bosco McDermott. They, Prendergast, Pat Donnellan, Michael Fleming, Margaret too, read the draft on behalf of the Board. Thank you all for Murray, Mary Keane, Máire Bn Uí Fhatharta, Peggy Uí your diligence and patience. Mhocháin, Cathy Ní Mhuillaoidh, Máire Ní Dhubháin, Tríona Nic Dhonncha, Chris Conneally, PJ Murphy, Ita Acknowledgements Antonio, Annie Nolan, Nellie McGrath, John and Mary We are grateful to the people named below for their time Collins, Bríd Walshe, Nora Blighe, Christiane Gottschalk, and courtesy in meeting with us and for sharing their stories Jimmy Sweeney, Brigid Brophy, Pádraic Ó Céidigh, Dan and experiences. Every care has been taken to ensure accuracy Quaid, Martha O’Neill, Áine Murphy, Teresa O’Connor, and inclusion and we apologise for any errors or omissions Carmel McGlacken, Mary Hanrahan, Maureen Lyons, Lizzy that may have occurred. Kelly, Betty Parnell, Della Burke, Bríd Leo, Denis Crowe, Margaret Reardon, Elaine Kavanagh, Frances Smyth, Mossie Breda Crehan-Roche and her PA, Carol Browne. Bill Griffin, Clabby, Mary Hambleton, Jody Murphy, Brother Alfred, Adrian Harney, John McHugo, Gerry Haslam, Kevin Gavin, Seán, Brian and Lorcán O’Rourke, John Patching, Frieda Linda Keane, Fionnuala Douglas, Therese King, Eileen McGrath, Claire Cunniffe, Bernie Coyne, Michael Gallagher, Costello Conneely, Kevin Whelan, Breda Dolan, Anne Silke, Mary McSweeney, Ann Kelly, Petra Bhreatnach. Sheila Duddy, Daiden Ó hEocha, Mary Timothy, Ann Donovan, Mícheál Faherty, Winnie Farragher, Michael Some of the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the Finnerty, Agnes Fox, Des Fitzpatrick, Eileen Regan, and views of Ability West/Éirim an Iarthair.

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