Wordsmith Aaron highlights issues faced by wheelchair users
Aaron Quinlan of the IWA creative writer's group
A CARLOW creative writing group are helping highlight the issues faced by wheelchair users. Yesterday members of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) highlighted the “Back in 5” campaign - a day of action when several wheelchairs will be parked unexpectedly in car parking spaces around the town, aiming to put the brakes on illegal parking in wheelchair accessible spaces.
One of the members of the local IWA branch creative writing group, Aaron Quinlan has written a Limerick - a short, five-line poems with just one verse, for the occasion.
Aaron (31) has cerebral palsy and for the last few months he has been highlighting his experiences as a wheelchair user through his writing.
“One day one of the staff decided to write a Limerick and from that I wrote down the structure and ever since I’ve been writing Limericks on the notes app on my phone. I really enjoy writing Limericks because of the structure.” The IWA Carlow creative writing classes started back in 2013, at the Carlow branch headquarters on the Kilkenny Road. Funded by the Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board (KCETB), the classes are facilitated by bestselling author Lissa Oliver.
“I facilitated those first classes and we all enjoyed them so much that they have continued ever since,” she said. The group has met continuously every Wednesday for the last 11 years. “No-one likes to miss a week and we keep going, ignoring holidays. We do take Christmas week off, but only under protest!” The group consists of eight members. There from the beginning is Catherine McDermott, who was joined by Maria Walsh, Marion Sheehy and Grace Doyle. Lissa says Anne-Marie O'Gorman was “conscripted and is now among our stars, as a poet and short story writer”. James Lennon and James O’Dwyer joined during Covid, when the group switched from in-person to online via Zoom, and Aaron, who rejoined this year. Lissa said a couple of original members left due to health issues but keep in touch, occasionally sharing their writing. The group members have now published four collections of their work, with sights set on a fifth.
“They did everything themselves, deciding which work to include, editing and proofing and arranging the design and layout. Local Carlow printers Newark Print printed the copies, and it proved a great success as a fundraiser for the IWA,” said Lissa.
And now the group will be hoping that their writing will bring some awareness to the issue of illegal parking. Copies of Aaron's Limerick "No space" were handed out in the Fairgreen Shopping Centre yesterday. Almost 75,000 disabled drivers parking permits have been issued in Ireland and wheelchair accessible spaces are an essential lifeline for motorists with disabilities. Yet far too often these spaces are occupied by able-bodied drivers. The IWA is reminding motorists that it is an offence to park without an official parking permit and can incur a fixed charge notice for €150, rising to €225 if not paid in the first 28 days. IWA national access programme manager, Rosaleen Lally said: "The campaign is a protest style event designed to show able-bodied people the frustrations people with disabilities face when accessible spaces are abused". Louise Barry, local service support officer said "the initiative involves a regular car space on the street being taken up by an empty wheelchair parked in it with a note pinned to the back with messages such as 'Be back in 5 minutes' 'just gone to the bank,' or 'just running in for a coffee.' These are throw away statements that people with disabilities encounter every day".
No space By Aaron Quinlan People who park in disabled spaces always say back in five, But what they don’t realise we have nowhere to park when we arrive. We need bigger spaces. Nothing will change unless we start hitting them with court cases. We are ready to fight back as long as we are alive.
Going for a spin By Aaron Quinlan Going out in my wheelchair for a spin. Have to cross to the other side because of a trash bin. Carlow’s footpaths are so bad, This makes me mad. The lack of accountability is a sin.
