Wexford boy whose letter captured the heart of Tánaiste Simon Harris opens sensory room in Kilmuckridge
Sean spoke about the importance of inclusivity in the community. 'There's a lot of people in the club with children with siblings or friends and family who have autism.
'They can now bring their other children down with them and can benefit from the use of the sensory room.'
Sean's 13-year-old son, Kai officially cut the ribbon on the day to celebrate the new space. Sean's son was born with autism, and said he understands trying to balance the needs of children.
'I know how difficult it is, there's not any spaces in our area like sensory rooms and stuff or anything that is there for them if they're not in some kind of camp or organisation,' he said.
The sensory room is designed to combine a range of items of stimuli to help people develop and engage with their senses. This sensory room includes lights, colours, sounds and sensory play objects to allow individuals to explore and interact in a safe space.
Sean said the sensory room is open to all members of the community, and a membership to St. Josephs Club is not need. 'As long as the club house is open, the gates are open – anyone who needs it can go in and use it,' he said.
In January 2025, Kai made touched hearts of Ireland after writing a letter to Taoiseach Simon Harris using the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) after meeting him during the official launch of Gorey Hill School.
The idea to create a sensory space in the club was first brought to Sean after seeing a mother trying to keep her child content with ear defenders and an iPad, so she could watch her child play the match. 'One Sunday morning we were playing a match and there was a woman going to the training with her son. She had another son with ear defenders.
'I was thinking like it'd be very tough for her for to keep him company for about two hours,' Sean added.
He received support from members of the Oulart community, who raised €8,000 from one single event. Margaret Gray organised a fundraiser bingo night which was well supported.
Sean spoke about the local support. 'A fundraising group in Oulart helped us out and made over €8,000 towards it. It went from there, everyone really bought into it in the community and just got behind it.'
Councillor Mary Farrell attended the launch of the sensory room, and said the space is fantastic for children and adults to go and relax and enjoy the calmness of the space. 'It's a great service and it's absolutely wonderful,' she said.
Sean thanked the Kilmuckridge community for their huge support with the project and praised all local businesses and sponsors who got behind the sensory room.
He also said the clubhouse is used for various clubs including the Men's Shed Association and First Responders groups. 'The support we got was really good. We're just building a community in the club.
'We just want to make the club more inclusive for everyone,' Sean said.
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Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Wexford boy whose letter captured the heart of Tánaiste Simon Harris opens sensory room in Kilmuckridge
Sean is a longstanding member of the club, who began working on the project to provide a space for children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Sean spoke about the importance of inclusivity in the community. 'There's a lot of people in the club with children with siblings or friends and family who have autism. 'They can now bring their other children down with them and can benefit from the use of the sensory room.' Sean's 13-year-old son, Kai officially cut the ribbon on the day to celebrate the new space. Sean's son was born with autism, and said he understands trying to balance the needs of children. 'I know how difficult it is, there's not any spaces in our area like sensory rooms and stuff or anything that is there for them if they're not in some kind of camp or organisation,' he said. The sensory room is designed to combine a range of items of stimuli to help people develop and engage with their senses. This sensory room includes lights, colours, sounds and sensory play objects to allow individuals to explore and interact in a safe space. Sean said the sensory room is open to all members of the community, and a membership to St. Josephs Club is not need. 'As long as the club house is open, the gates are open – anyone who needs it can go in and use it,' he said. In January 2025, Kai made touched hearts of Ireland after writing a letter to Taoiseach Simon Harris using the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) after meeting him during the official launch of Gorey Hill School. The idea to create a sensory space in the club was first brought to Sean after seeing a mother trying to keep her child content with ear defenders and an iPad, so she could watch her child play the match. 'One Sunday morning we were playing a match and there was a woman going to the training with her son. She had another son with ear defenders. 'I was thinking like it'd be very tough for her for to keep him company for about two hours,' Sean added. He received support from members of the Oulart community, who raised €8,000 from one single event. Margaret Gray organised a fundraiser bingo night which was well supported. Sean spoke about the local support. 'A fundraising group in Oulart helped us out and made over €8,000 towards it. It went from there, everyone really bought into it in the community and just got behind it.' Councillor Mary Farrell attended the launch of the sensory room, and said the space is fantastic for children and adults to go and relax and enjoy the calmness of the space. 'It's a great service and it's absolutely wonderful,' she said. Sean thanked the Kilmuckridge community for their huge support with the project and praised all local businesses and sponsors who got behind the sensory room. He also said the clubhouse is used for various clubs including the Men's Shed Association and First Responders groups. 'The support we got was really good. We're just building a community in the club. 'We just want to make the club more inclusive for everyone,' Sean said.
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- RTÉ News
Call for Government to expand eligibility for back-to-school allowance
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Irish Independent
17-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Wexford charity partners with Gorey Market House Festival to create more inclusive spaces
AFA is a Gorey based charity, which offers support for families in north Wexford. The collaboration includes a sensory picnic, which will take place on Saturday, July 19, at 1pm in Gorey Town Park. The event will include sensory toys and other equipment from the Starlight Room, located at Gorey Business Park. Families will also be able to access ear defenders, fidget toys, sunglasses, blankets, and more to help create a calmer, more enjoyable experience for everyone at the festival. Chairperson, Vincent Dixon spoke about the collaboration, saying this year is experimental to see what is needed for the future. 'The plan this year is to just go for it and really see what we need for festival going forward. 'It's making the festival more enjoyable for members of the community, who would usually struggle. Because they need that space to go back to when they need it, so they can relax,' Vincent said. Vincent got involved with the charity two years ago and was appointed chairperson in October 2024. He spoke about the positive direction Gorey has made for inclusion in the community. 'People are much more understanding of it. People make the effort to make places quitter for children. A lot of businesses are welcoming us in for activities too,' he added. Later that evening, Advocates for Autism will set up a sensory stall on Gorey Main Street to provide information and resources to those in need. Their sensory toolkit will be available at the stall. They will also be taking suggestions and feedback for future planning for inclusivity at other events. Advocates for Autism shared on their Facebook page: 'This is more than just a festival – it's a movement for inclusion, understanding, and change. Let's make Wexford a place where neurodiverse voices are heard, valued, and empowered.' Advocates for Autism was set up by a group of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2011.
