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Tag Archives: autism

Céira Is A Model For Autistic People

AN Ardnacrusha speech and language therapist, who was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD at the age of 25, is hoping to follow in the footsteps of a former Leaving Certificate classmate at the Miss Ireland final next month. Miss Clare, Céira Moroney (27) is looking forward to participating in various Miss Ireland events over the coming weeks before the final in the Crown Plaza Hotel, Dublin on November 4. They include a sports day, an online makeup challenge, a modeling round, and head-to-head public speaking. Reigning Miss Ireland Doctor Ivanna McMahon, from Barefield who is Dyslexic, is an ambassador for Dyslexic Ireland, worked in the GP Scheme at Tralee General Hospital throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, before she was crowned the 75th Miss Ireland at a ceremony in Castlebar last year. Dr Ivanna entered the competition as Miss Munster 2022 but left with the Miss Ireland title. Interestingly, Céira Moroney was a Leaving Certificate classmate of Ms McMahon at Limerick Tutorial …

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Easter Bunny Visits East Clare Playgrounds

A SPECIAL treat is in store for East Clare children when the Easter Bunny visits local playgrounds this Saturday. In addition to having their photograph taken with the Easter Bunny, children will receive an Easter Egg in five different playgrounds. What makes this initiative even sweeter is the fact that all donations will be collected for Ennis Voices for Autism (EVA) as part of their Easter Fundraiser. The Easter Bunny, aka Tina O’Loughlin from Broadford, will conduct a whistle-stop tour of the following playgrounds – O’Brien’s Bridge at 11am; Killaloe at 12 noon; Scariff at 1pm; Tulla at 2pm and Broadford at 3pm on Saturday, April 8. Last year, all the funds raised from this event went to Clare Crusaders, and this year EVA are delighted to be chosen as the beneficiary. The bucket collectors will include Ann Hickey, Lourda Doyle, Triona Cooney and Francis Ryan. In January 2012, a group of parents came together and formed EVA to support …

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Clare councillor to focus on autism project after resigning seat

THE resignation of Susan Crawford of the Green Party from Clare County Council was prompted by an opportunity to take some ground breaking work on autism to the next level, she told The Clare Champion this week. When a research team approached her about a concept she had been working on, Ms Crawford said she knew she would have to resign from the Council. “My mind was made up for me for want of a better way of putting it. I was working on a medical device to relieve anxiety for kids with autism and a research team in DCU said they were really interested in driving this on, we want you for the team. I kind of had to make a call then, something had to give.” She said that to concentrate on the research, she knew she would have to stand down from the Council. Ms Crawford said work is currently taking place on patenting and intellectual property …

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Clare mother faces her fears to fly high for charity

A CLARE mother is preparing to face her fears by jumping out of a plane thousands of feet in the air to raise money for a charity close to her family’s heart. Jane Quinn, who lives in Sixmilebridge, will be doing a tandem sky-dive in aid of My Canine Companion, an Irish charity providing accredited service dogs to people with disabilities, predominantly autism. The family have seen first hand the positive benefits of a service dog having recently welcomed puppy Woody into the life of daughter Zoe, who was diagnosed with autism at four years of age. Jane is hoping that by doing the sky-dive she will be able to raise enough funds for the charity so that another family can experience the “life changing” effects of having a service dog. Jane is aiming to raise €10,000 from the sky-dive which is set to take place in Kilkenny this Friday, July 30. She admits she is “absolutely terrified” of flying, so why get …

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Embrace Autism on World Autism Day

ENNIS Voices for Autism (EVA) has urged people in the Mid-West to learn more about Autism and how to accept Autistic people – children and adults alike. The group issued an appeal to embrace the Autistic community on World Autism Day (today). Originally World Autism Day was about awareness, but in more recent times the emphasis has moved on to acceptance of Autism and more importantly acceptance of Autistic people. Autism Acceptance Month gives Clare people an opportunity to celebrate the Autistic community, highlight the challenges Autistic people face in the county and educate the wider public to gain a better understanding of Autistic people in their own community. Autism is a complex, invisible condition, which a person is born with. It is a developmental condition, which means that the way a person communicates, interacts and understands other people, and the world, is different to those who do not have the condition. It can be described as a “spectrum”, which …

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“I just want him to have an education”

A SHANNON mother has this week opened up about the struggle she is having to get her little son a place in an ASD unit, when he begins national school in September. Lesleyanne Casey is a mother of three, who lives in Cluain Airne. At the moment her youngest son, five-year-old Noah attends an early intervention class in Stonehall, where he has made huge progress. “His speech when he first went there was basically non-existent. It has really improved. He’s more sociable. He’s just come along so much; he has matured that little bit as well. “He loves being out there, loves being the centre of attention. The kids inside in that school are fantastic. They’re very open-minded, all of the children, all the staff. “They run lots of days of autism awareness and they make them feel like they’re the most important people in the world, which is brilliant.” She says the staff there are immense, while she praises …

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Valerie Vocalises Vaccine Link

AN EAST Clare woman who believes that her son’s severe autism may be linked to vaccines he received in early childhood has launched a campaign calling for all new-born children to be screened for vulnerability to potential side-effects. Valerie O’Shaughnessy from Scariff sought the support of members of Clare County Council who approved a motion calling on Minister Simon Harris to introduce such a national screening protocol. The motion will now go before all other local authorities in the State. Valerie told The Clare Champion that her own experience, combined with ongoing personal research and review of the scientific evidence, has led her to the conclusion that children, like her own son Dara, who have compromised immune systems, are potentially at risk from the administration of live vaccines. “I have a social conscience I have a moral duty,” she says. “And I trying to bring this to the fore because I’m concerned about Irish children. I’m concerned about Irish families, I’ve lived …

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Andy pedals from Scotland to Shannon for autism awareness

CURRENTLY based in Scotland, local man Andy Moloney is preparing to cycle from his new home back to Shannon, while raising awareness of autism and funds for groups that help with the condition. “I’m leaving Edinburgh on September 3 and then I have two days cycling in Scotland. Then I get on the ferry to Belfast and then cycle from Belfast to Shannon and that’s three days,” he says. In all, the journey is justunder 850 kilometres. Andy’s seven-year-old son Ellis has been diagnosed with autism, leading Andy to take on the challenge. “I wanted Scotland to benefit because I’m over here but I know seven families in the last 10 or 11 years who have had children with autism. As much as I wanted to do something over here, I wanted to do something in Ireland and Shannon too. I figured the best way to do it was to go from here to Shannon.” Last Saturday Wolfe Tones hosted …

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