Today, we were told to dress our fanciest. At first, I was unsure why we needed to. Then I realized that this site visit was with Professor Eilinóir Flynn, who was one of the authors whose work we read prior to the trip. She is a major researcher when it comes to the UNCRPD, so it made sense that there was this much hype attached.
Professor Flynn’s work is centered in the University of Galway’s CLDP program. This program is built on three core ideas: education, community, and research. It was very interesting hearing about all they do, including their research. As I was listening to the different presentations, I was just continuously reminded that these people are truly invested in trying to make a change. After all, they are led by Professor Flynn.
One example of community outreach that they have is having a one-week summer camp that is centered around legal studies. I am not sure of the age group, but I assume it is prospective students, current students, and international students as she did mention that they have fellowships. She described how they spend the week really honing in on learning different things when it comes to legal studies, and they even get to tap into creativity. Some examples of the students’ art were on the wall, and it really caught my attention. It was a collage of different representations of disability and advocacy and it was just amazing to look at.
The day did not just end with our visit to the University of Galway. We also visited a museum by the Latin Quarter in Galway. As I made my way through the museum, I could not help but notice that there were multiple accessibility options. For example, there were large print options of the Keepers of the Gael for those that would have trouble reading the original font. On any videos playing, there were captions. However, the thing that was the most interesting was the addition of a sensory room on the ground floor.
This room resembled a similar sensory room that we had seen at the Galway Autism Partnership just a couple of days earlier. In a tucked-away corner, there was a smaller opening that led into an enclosure that was cast with a blue light. The walls were a harder foam, and there was a tapestry of some Irish scenery. I have never seen a sensory room in a public space, which is a major step forward in supporting everyone. However, the sign outside the room did imply that this space was only for children, making it not completely welcoming to everyone. This still is major, as I assume many places in the States do not have this. Overall, I sense a common theme of Universal Design in many of the museums in Dublin and Galway. Not only are these places free to the public, but they are welcoming.
