Archive for Equality for All

where spirits come to die!

What a gut wrenching year , this has been ! Long coming , but poorly planned or prepared for.

In my defence, how do you prepare for the physical decline and death of your main care giver, requiring a forced …

An open letter to the Irish “caregiving” industry.

Revised; An open letter to the Irish “caregiving” industry

To whom it concerns,

As a wheelchair user, who avails of the services of some of the “caregivers” that your facility trains, I have a number of issues to raise.

I …

The ambiguous meaning of “Accessible” in Ireland.

Stupid me! I had always assumed that a door with the word “accessible” and a wheelchair symbol on it, carried more weight that it apparently does.

In reality, it seems to be first come first served!

Such matters are left …

Disability Wrongs & Rights

Yesterday, I had the unusually painful experience of having to bite my tongue, while listening to the story of how two people (who are currently sharing the same respite facility as myself) were asked to leave the living room of …

Wheelchair parking spaces & the abuse of convenience.

I am always disgusted by the brazen actions of some people. I know the weather here is atrocious, but even this is no excuse for some people, who don’t want to risk getting there hair wet.

Its especially galling to …

HSE Confidential Recipient — Leigh Gath

I’ve never had any contact with Leigh Gath before. I only heard about her when I contacted Gary Lee, of the Centre for Independent Living.

I remember with a still very living anger, the horrible awkwardness of being left to …

The scaremongering begins in earnest about marriage equality in Ireland

(Update Monday 22/08/16: (I’ve just finished watching “The Queen Of Ireland”. I know it took me way too long, to get around to it. I was very impressed by Rory O’ Neill’s eloquence. Its been well over a year and …

Rainbow Barcelona–Not your average tour company

me&eloi

I was turning 40. I know its a milestone that is not nearly as significant as it once was, but for me it would definitely be a day of melancholic reflection or self critical introspection.

I had been seeing for …

Gay rights v Religiously disguised hatred in Ireland

Intolerance, jumbled thinking about sexuality and a lazy desire to act like we always have done, will hopefully be toppled when it comes to the equality referendum next May 2015.

Homophobia has a real and lasting impact. It cannot just …

Stephen Hawking Documentary-Having money can cushion even that degree of disability.

Have watched (and re-watched ad nauseum) the biopic  about the great Professor Stephan Hawking. It was streamed from the Cambridge Film festival. I sometimes think that were it not for my efforts in the gym, that my body would go …