Press Release/Diary Notice February 2nd
Hearing Deaf people in their hours of need
A conference in Dublin this Saturday (February 5th) will be conducted through sign language, with interpreters for the hearing, in a unique effort to highlight the need to provide essential communication access for deaf people who are ill or dying.
The conference “The Care of Deaf People in Times of Sickness” will see and hear a range of people emphasis the need for interpreters for deaf people who are being treated in our hospitals and who are in palliative care. One of the issues to be addressed by the conference is the fact that in many health care settings, it can be easier to access foreign language interpreters than those for deaf people. There will also be a number of workshops on sign language and deaf awareness training.
The conference is being run by the Archdiocese of Dublin World Day of the Sick committee in conjunction with the National Chaplaincy for Deaf People and the Irish Deaf Society.
It is part of the 19th Annual World Day of the Sick Celebrations in the Archdiocese, which will also include Mass and anointing of the Sick on Sunday
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said this year’s events gave the people of the Archdiocese and opportunity to pray with and for those who are sick and those who care for them. he said that this year, “we also enter into the reality and challenges that face people who are deaf in communicating with those involved in healthcare and how as a community, we can learn to be more attentive to the needs of others.”
- The Conference “Care of Deaf People in Times of Sickness” takes place in the Purcell House Conference Centre, All Hallows College, Drumcondra from 9am until 4pm this Saturday, February 5th.
- Mass and Anointing of the Sick will be held in St. Anthony’s Church, Clontarf in Sunday 6th February at 3pm
Notes to editors on those addressing the Conference
Carmel Grehan (M.Phil in Applied Linguistics, B.Sc., Dip. Deaf Studies) is a lecturer in Deaf Studies in the Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity College Dublin. She has research interests in gendered signing in the Irish Deaf community as well as in the area of curriculum development and teaching. Her publications include a paper on the role of gender in contemporary ISL (co-authored with Dr Lorraine Leeson) (2004), a chapter on Deaf students’ access to state examinations (in McDonnell (ed.) 2004) and a research publication on poverty within the Irish Deaf Community (co-authored with John Bosco Conama) (2001). She is currently working on the development of a curriculum for signed languages that is aligned to the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages as part of her work on the Leonardo da Vinci funded D-Signs project, of which she is the Irish coordinator. Carmel is a lecturer in Deaf Studies in The Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity College Dublin.
Eddie Redmond, who will be chairing this conference, was born in Wexford and is currently living in Dublin. He was educated in Beechpark School in Stillorgan and St. Joseph’s School for Deaf Boys in Cabra. After completing his Leaving Cert, he worked in the Revenue Commissioners for 3 years before he emigrated to New York in the late 1980’s. He worked at the Bankers Trust Company in Manhattan for six and a half years and while working, attended Plaza Business College for three years and graduated with an Honoured Applied Business Degree in Business Studies. Eddie returned to Ireland in 1996 and held a supervisor post for Deutsche Bank in Dublin before taking up his current role as HR manager in the Irish Deaf Society, a position he has held the past five years. He was Vice Chairperson of the Irish Deaf Society for 8 years and became a TV presenter for Hands On in 1998. He is editor of the Irish Deaf News; a weekly presented of current news using Irish Sign Language.
Elaine Grehan lived in Meath and is married with three children. She is the manager of the Advocacy Service of the Irish Deaf Society. Elaine is a regular presenter of the Irish Deaf News.
Hugh Buckley is a member of the Deaf Community is married and is a grandfather to three beautiful grandchildren. He is the former chairperson of the Sign Language Association of Ireland. Hugh has many years experience as a teacher of Sign Language both in the public sector and the private sector. He has worked and lived in America in the past and has had a strong involvement in drama and mime.
Teresa Lynch holds a diploma as an Irish Sign Language Teacher from Trinity College, Dublin where she is now working part time as lecturer. She is currently studying for the masters in Bristol University. She is registered as R1 Deaf interpreter. She is co author with Dr Lorraine Lesson (2009) ‘Three Leaps of Faith and Four Giant Steps: Developing Interpreter Training in Ireland’ in Jemina Napier (Editor), International Perspectives on Sign Language Interpreter Education. For that past six years she has been giving Deaf Awareness Training for various groups all over Ireland and working on “Hands On” on RTE
Caroline O’Leary is a registered certified R1 interpreter with Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS). R1 interpreters are certified to interpreter to work in medical and palliative care setting. She is the chairperson of the steering committee for the formation of a new professional body for Irish Sign language Interpreters. (Council for Irish Sign Language Interpreters)
Lisa Dunne is a registered certified R1 interpreter with Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS). She has recently graduated from DIT with a degree in Law.
Brendan Lennon is a Regional Manager with DeafHear.ie. DeafHear is a voluntary organisation that provides and advocates for accessible services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People.
Stephanie Bennett is a social worker for Deafblind people working in St. Joseph’s House for Adult Deaf and Deafblind, Stillorgan. She has specialised working with Acquired Deafblind Adults for over 20 years and has graduated in Deafblind Studies with the University of Birmingham.
Frankie Berry is a member of National Chaplaincy for the Deaf People. She is married and living in Dublin. She holds an MA in School Chaplaincy/Pastoral Care from Mater Dei Institute, DCU and is a registered certified R1 interpreter with Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS). In 2009 she chaired a session and delivering a key presentation in the Vatican, during the 24th International Conference hosted by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers.
The theme of the conference was “Ephphatha! The Deaf person in the life of the Church.
Further information: Communications Office, Archdiocese of Dublin 01-8360723
