July 2025

Discover Gaisce: The President’s Award for Youth Achievement

In a special episode of Disability Matters, John Comiskey welcomed two inspiring guests from Gaisce – The President’s Award: Joy Winston, Development Officer for North Dublin and Wicklow, and Conor Dillon, a 2025 Youth Ambassador and the first wheelchair user to hold this position. Gaisce celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Since 1985, the programme […]

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‘You First’ service Officially Launched: A Safe Space for Mental Health Support in Blanchardstown

BCIL Celebrates with Local Champions and Co-founder Gerry Murray On Friday, July 25th, Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living (BCIL) proudly took part in the official launch of You First, a peer-led mental health café based in St. Brigid’s Community Centre, Church Road, Blanchardstown. Although You First has been operating quietly for the past two years,

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A virtual meeting with four participants in separate windows. Each person wears headphones. Backgrounds show a purple "Enable Ireland" logo, a red "Phoenix FM" banner, framed sports photos, and an orange advocacy graphic. The atmosphere appears collaborative.

Revolutionizing Disability Support: Enable Ireland’s Virtual Services

We recently had the chance to sit down with some of the amazing people behind Enable Ireland’s virtual service—a growing and powerful initiative that’s changing the way we think about disability supports in Ireland. In this episode of Disability Matters John Comiskey speaks with Jason, Valerie, and Pádraig, three passionate people who’ve helped build something

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“It’s Not Just About Bread and Pasta”: Coeliac Disease – support and awareness with Sarah Keogh

When most people think of coeliac disease, they often associate it with stomach aches and avoiding bread. But in reality, this autoimmune condition is far more complex – and for many, it remains undiagnosed for years, quietly affecting multiple systems in the body. In this episode of Disability Matters, we speak to Sarah Keogh, Consultant

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A woman stands behind a table covered with brochures and pens at an MS Ireland information booth. A banner reads "MS Ireland, Western Regional Office."

Living with Multiple Sclerosis: Insights from MS Nurse Sorcha Barlow

At Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living (BCIL), we continue our commitment to amplifying voices and sharing resources that support people with disabilities in Ireland. This month, we spoke with Sorcha Barlow, MS Support and Education Nurse at Multiple Sclerosis Ireland, about the realities of living with MS and the services available to support people across

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A group of three people sit in a radio studio with microphones. Two women are smiling, and a man looks content. Banners behind display "92.5 Phoenix FM."

Empowering Inclusion in Physical Education: A Conversation with DCU’s Susan Marron and Frances Murphy

Inclusion has become a central theme in education, and nowhere is this more evident than in the efforts of Dr. Frances Murphy and Susan Marron from the School of Arts Education and Movement at Dublin City University’s Institute of Education. In their conversation with Disability Matters, the two educators shared how their work in physical

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“You Have a Choice Every Day”: The Story of Máirín Ní Bheacháin

When Máirín Ní Bheacháin stepped onto the TEDx stage for the first time, she wasn’t simply delivering a talk. She was defying every fear, limitation, and obstacle that once stood in her way. As a personal stylist, entrepreneur, and volunteer, her message —rooted in lived experience — is about confidence, resilience, and choosing to live

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Two people in a virtual meeting. The left person is in a room with windows behind, while the right person wears headphones with a Phoenix FM banner.

You matter until the end of your life: Dr. Una Molloy on the Role and Importance of Palliative Care

In this Disability Matters episode, Patrick O’Donnell and John Comiskey speak with Dr. Una Molloy, a Advanced Nurse Practitioner in palliative medicine and representative of the Irish Association for Palliative Care (IAPC). Dr. Molloy offered deep insight into what palliative care truly means and the vital role it plays in supporting people with life-limiting illnesses.

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