Hub 21's Grow Thrive Shine exhibition launches in Carrickmacross

‘Grow Thrive Shine’ opened in Carrickmacross Civic Centre’s foyer this evening, Monday, March 9 and it’s fair to say that guest speaker Mei Lin Yap, the first person in Ireland with an intellectual disability to receive an honorary doctorate, captivated the sizeable crowd with her inspiring life story. You could hear a pin drop during her address, but when it ended the crowd couldn’t help but burst into applause in appreciation for the young woman who breaks boundaries on a daily basis.

Then there was the ‘Grow Thrive Shine’ exhibition itself, which highlights the joyfulness of the children and young people who love attending Hub 21 in C:Tek 1. Local photographer Dalia Guzauskaite did a wonderful job of capturing the beauty, personality and spirit of every child. Each photo comes with a little biography on the child and what they love about the centre.

Martin McBreen, Chairperson of Hub 21 explained that the rebrand, which happened in October was something that was on the cards for a long time. All involved felt that it was the right thing to do because they wanted to dispense with labels, hence the rebrand from Down Syndrome Centre North East (DSCNE) to Hub 21, so called because Trisomy 21 is the clinical name for Down Syndrome i.e. a third copy of the 21st chromosome is created. That is also why World Down Syndrome Day happens on March 21 (321).

The exhibition is free to visit in the foyer of Carrickmacross Civic Offices until the end of March. It’s well worth a visit. The timing of the exhibition was also very significant because tonight’s launch happened seven years to the day after the launch of DSCNE in the same location. For more on the launch of this ground-breaking exhibition check out The Anglo-Celt.