Community radio station celebrates disabilities day

KILKEE-based community radio station Raidió Corca Baiscinn is to mark UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities next Monday.

More than one billion people, or approximately 15% of the world’s population, live with some form of disability. People with disabilities, “the world’s largest minority”, often face barriers to participation in all aspects of society. This year’s UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities has chosen as its theme “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all”.

Raidió Corca Baiscinn works with two local organisations to provide access to the radio for people with disabilities, Enable Ireland and the Brothers of Charity. To celebrate the day, Raidió Corca Baiscinn is extending its broadcasting hours and turning over next Monday’s broadcasts to Enable Ireland’s and the Brothers of Charity’s broadcasters.

“We will start broadcasting an hour earlier at 1pm and from 1pm to 2pm the Brothers of Charity Group will do a live programme. The programme will feature interviews with other disability organisations around the country to find out what they do and how they are celebrating the day. From 2pm to 3pm Enable Ireland take to the airwaves, with Derek O’Brien hosting a show live from Enable Ireland HQ in Ennis, including interviews with the service users and staff at Enable Ireland,” station spokesperson Sally Ann Marron explained.

From 3pm to 3.30pm, the Brothers of Charity will be back playing their favourite tunes and there are rumours that Christmas tunes may feature in this programme, kicking off Raidió Corca Baiscinn’s festive season in style.

From 4pm to 5pm the Enable Ireland crew take up the reins again with a live music show.

“As a community radio station, we believe everyone in the community has the right and ability to participate in making radio programmes, whether they work behind the scenes or present the shows.

“We are always happy to work with individuals or groups to help them train to use our facilities, to get on air and broadcast to West Clare and beyond,” Sally Ann added.

RCB broadcasts on 92.5 and 94.8FM and online at www.rcb.ie, 2pm to 9pm Monday to Friday and 2pm to 5pm Saturday and Sunday.