First Deaf Seanad nominee has Cavan links
Dr. John Bosco Conama, a lifelong Deaf rights activist, Academic and leading light in the Deaf community, made history last week after he was nominated to the Seanad by both the Irish Deaf Society (the National Association of the Deaf) and Chime (the National Charity for Deafness and Hearing Loss).
He has Cavan links too, with Dr. John Bosco's sister Eileen Gormley having lived in the county for the past 30-years.
Both are Roscommon-natives, and in 2019 Dr John Bosco was appointed to serve on the first statutory advisory committee in Ireland to support monitoring of Ireland’s implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
He played an integral role in helping campaign for the Irish Sign Language Act which was passed in 2017, recognising ISL as the third official language of Ireland.
Lianne Quigley, Chairperson of the Irish Deaf Society said that since the signing of the Act, the organisation has seen Deaf candidates come forward to stand in the local elections and now in 2020, Dr. John Bosco Conama is standing for election on the National stage.
“This is a clear sign that our community wants to participate in political life,” she said, adding that the nomination marked an “historic day” for the deaf community in Ireland.
She believed too that Dr John Bosco will prove to be an “inspiration” for Deaf communities throughout the world. “If elected John Bosco will champion the rights of minorities in Ireland and will be an advocate for accessibility and Irish Sign Language.”
Speaking outside Leinster House, CEO John Sherwin said “On a daily basis Deaf men, women and children face exclusion from State services. Our community is entitled to representation at the highest levels.”
Dr. John Bosco has been a member of the Irish Deaf Society since 1986.
In that time he has served on the Board of IDS as Director, Secretary and Chairperson. He is Assistant Professor and Director of the Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity College and has a PhD, M.Litt and BA in Social Policy and Equality Studies. In 2019 he was appointed to serve on the first statutory advisory committee in Ireland to support monitoring of Ireland’s implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
The Irish Deaf Society is a Deaf led, national, rights based DPO (disabled persons’ organisation) and a member of the World Federation of the Deaf and the European Union of the Deaf.