To Listen to the podcast please click on the following link – #06 Alcohol Action Ireland | HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing (podbean.com)
The sixth episode of the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and on the HSE Health and Wellbeing YouTube channel. In this episode, hosted by Noreen Turley, Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, outlines the work underway to help reduce alcohol consumption and reduce the harm caused by alcohol in Ireland. “Many of us enjoy drinking alcohol, but there is another side to drinking and that is the harm that’s generated from the way we drink and the amount we drink.” Listen to the podcast which reviews the changes that have been made through the implementation of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, including the areas not yet implemented. Sheila explains and discusses issues like alcohol advertising, the role of the alcohol industry and where the priority should now be to combat the long term health impact drinking alcohol has on the Irish population. For more information go to AskAboutAlcohol Listen to and follow the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast, wherever you get your podcasts to keep up to date with our latest episodes. We would also appreciate a review of the podcast on your chosen podcast channel. |
Category: News
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Meeting 5th February 2020 The Glen
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HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast, Episode 5 – Living Well
Click the following link to open the podcast programme – HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast, Episode 5 – Living Well
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DFI March Update
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ILMI eBulletin March 10th 2023
ILMI International Women’s Day Gathering 2023
When Irish women come together, they a force to be reckoned with – when disabled Irish women come together then walls will quake and ceilings shatter. This year, to mark International Women’s Day, the women of ILMI planned and executed an event that was all at once enlightening, and indeed, elegant. It was powerful. Not in any pedestrian sense, but rather a subtle and lingering power. One that goes the distance – all the way.
Here, on a Tuesday night in March, over 100 disabled women from across Ireland, the UK and US and beyond, gathered together. We heard from activists, scientists, actors, journalists, fashionistas, and designers. We heard tales of invention, perseverance, creativity and collective action. But there were no tales of overcoming, none of being utilised as a token. As Toni Morrison wrote: “If you wanna fly, you gotta give up that shit that weighs you down.” Instead, on this March night in Ireland, we heard the voices that make walls tremble and ceilings break, all of them. This, for certain, was a unique event.
To all of you who came thank you again, for all of you who couldn’t make it we are pleased to say there is a video being worked on as we speak and will be available on our YouTube channel very shortly. Do you want to work on disabled Women’s issues? Then contact us on info@ilmi.ie
Caprice’s jewellery designs https://www.capricekwai.com/shop
Louise’s Legless in Dublin subscription page https://leglessindublin.substack.com/
The Passing of a Legend
“Judith “Judy” Heumann—widely regarded as “the mother” of the disability rights movement—passed away in Washington, D.C. on the afternoon of March 4, 2023. Judy was at the forefront of major disability rights demonstrations, helped spearhead the passage of disability rights legislation, founded national and international disability advocacy organizations, held senior federal government positions, co-authored her memoir, Being Heumann, and its Young Adult version, Rolling Warrior, and was featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary film, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution.”
ILMI was very saddened to hear of the passing of our great friend Judy, Judith Heumann. It is a terrible loss to the global disability rights movement, her grace, her light, her sheer force will be sorely missed by us all. However we will all in our individual ways seek to further her legacy. ILMI sends our deepest condolences to her family, friends and all those whose lives were made brighter by her presence. May you rest in power Judy RIP #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs
The World Mourns the Passing of Judy Heumann, Disability Rights Activist
Selina Bonnie ILMI Vice Chair
On International Women’s Day 2023, it is clear that disabled women in Ireland and elsewhere continue to face multiple barriers and prejudices in living a life of their choice. “Disabled Dublin woman faced ‘prejudice and barriers’ while trying to become a mum” Selina Bonnie, Vice Chair of the Independent Living Movement in Ireland, went through IVF before giving birth to her daughter, who is now 15.
Ms Bonnie now strongly focuses on reproductive justice due to the struggles she had in becoming a mum. Read the full article here.
Sign the petition End Forced Sterilisation
Acts of violence against disabled women and girls must be included in the EU Directive on Violence against Women. On International Women’s Day we call to End Forced Sterilisation.
Join The European Disability Forum (EDF) and sign the petition to ban this practice in the EU
Disability Matters Committee
The presentations and discussion this week at the Committee on Disability Matters were really powerful. The Topic: Self-Advocacy and Disabled Women.
Opening statement, Amy Hassett, Co-director, et al., Disabled Women Ireland
Opening statement, Eliona Gjecaj, Disability activist and researcher
Video Link
DPOs Update
ILMI continues its positive social model presence in the north west with support for local DPOs. Leitrim DPO participants continued their collectivism advocacy journey with Theatre of the Oppressed techniques with another Manorhamilton Glens Arts Centre workshop with ILMI’s Peter Kearns. Peter, who worked throughout to 90s & 00s with Brazilian born Forum Theatre creator and author Augusto Boal, is supporting the Leitrim DPO Actors to develop drama stories communicating their shared lived experiences of local medical model situations & crises to be performed to County Council members and HSE staff to incite them to arrive at effective social model informed systematic change & transformations with the DPO members. The DPO cross-impairment ‘label’ group are regularly joined by Teresa Butler, Community Development Officer of Leitrim Development Company, who will be transforming the DPO dramatic issues into policy themes to include in county strategic plans alongside ILMI’s Peter.
Peter is also facilitating Sligo DPO and Sligo PPN’s 2nd social model workshop to inform members access stories to be filmed and uploaded onto social media platforms – Monday 13th March on Zoom at 7pm to 8.30pm – If you live, work or are in education anywhere in Sligo County you can join Peter’s fun & creative video workshop by emailing sligodpo@gmail.com
HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast Episode 3, Tobacco Free Ireland
The third episode of the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and on the HSE Health and Wellbeing YouTube channel.
In this episode, hosted by Noreen Turley, Sarah Halpin tells us about her journey from smoker to ‘We Can Quit’ Community Facilitator with Empower in Fingal, where she is now helping others to stop smoking through the free HSE Quit supports. Sarah highlights that while quitting is not easy, motivation is key: “I gave up smoking because I wanted to give up smoking for my health and for my own wellbeing, the children were definitely a motivator but it’s very important that you give up smoking for yourself because it’s a very hard thing to do”.
We also hear from Dr. Paul Kavanagh, HSE’s Public Health Clinical Advisor on Tobacco, who shares his thoughts about the current smoking and vaping situation in Ireland and plans for a Tobacco Free Ireland. Dr. Kavanagh highlights things which the HSE and their partners need to now focus on, to make a real impact in this area. These include implementation of evidenced based programmes and continuing the focus on health inequalities: “Rather than doing something brand new, the first thing would be to focus on implementing and getting into practice the things that we already know works.”
For help to stop smoking and to see the full range of HSE supports go to Quit.ie.
Listen to and follow the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast, wherever you get your podcasts to keep up to date with our latest episodes.
March 2023 Wellbeing Resource
ILMI eBulletin March 3rd 2023
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This is your invitation to Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) International Women’s Day Event 2023: 7th of March at 7pm via Zoom
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ILMI eBulletin February 17th 2023
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We should all be free to express ourselves through art
We’re incredibly excited to introduce the new Artistic Director of the Sense visual arts programme, Tanya Raabe-Webber. An acclaimed disabled artist, she’s passionate about making the arts accessible for all. Here she is to discuss her creative process, disability and her ambitions for the programme.
I’ve always been an artist; I feel I’ve been creating from the moment I was born – probably even before! Painting and drawing gave me a voice, a way to communicate my experience of the world. I use visual art to explore issues that stem from being a woman and a disabled person.
I really believe that visual arts are a brilliant tool of self-expression and something that everyone should be able to practise. Through the Sense visual arts programme, we’re going to support more people to explore and develop their creative abilities. More than that, we also want to promote this work for wider recognition, acting as a platform for disabled artists.
Creativity brings connection
The work I make has enabled me to explore and challenge notions of identity and disability. My art is informed by my lived experience – my disabled self and the world I live in.
Many of the artists I’ve mentored and collaborated with over the years use their art in this way. it’s been a pleasure to team up with people and share our stories, our ideas and find connections with each other.

As a painter of people, I also get unique opportunities to connect with my portrait sitters. One of the most interesting experiences I had was with the world-famous deaf percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie.
That sitting took place at the National Portrait Gallery in front of a live audience. It was a real sensory experience. While I painted her, she played the waterphone in response to my work, I then interpreted those sounds to create new markings on the canvas. It was magical!
Building the Sense visual arts programme
Last year, Sense and I kicked things off with the creation of our Sense Connect manifesto. Our intention with this statement was to encourage disabled people to come together to create artwork in the same space, fostering creativity, community and combating loneliness.
This was during the pandemic, so our next step was to set up an online Art Club. This enabled creative people from all over the country to join us. Now, thanks to the fundraising Sense have done over the last year, we’re ready to launch the new Sense visual arts programme!
As Artistic Director, I’ll be developing a three-year programme of exciting studio art projects, residencies, workshops and exhibitions. Together, we’ll explore different art making techniques, from drawing and painting, to print making and 3D sculpture.
It’s going to be an exciting journey of exploring and experimenting. We will learn from each other. We hope you will join us to help create a vibrant, visual arts community!
Take part in art
Find an activity that suits you. We’ve got plenty of fun guides on how to get involved in art or you can book onto an art activity near you.

