On Thursday we began our morning by heading to the The Outhouse, a resource center and safe place for members of LGBTQ+ community. With a small cafe, an incredible art exhibit in the basement, and colorful decor, The Outhouse felt so welcoming and it makes me happy to know that it provides a sense of community for the individuals who need it.
After The Outhouse, we visited a local organization called Deaf Village—an inclusive space where individuals apart of the deaf community can gather. They had a cafe, theater, chapel, swimming pool, and gym—all of which were accessible for those who are deaf. And though this space did a great job in promoting accessibility, one of the biggest ideas mentioned at this visit was how little Ireland does to accommodate for deaf people throughout the country. In fact, it was not until a few years ago in which Irish Sign Language was officially recognized as a native language of the state. One of the staff members stated that she does not view hearing loss as a disability, but rather as a language barrier and that if we as a society can work to learn sign language and become more aware of how to communicate with deaf individuals than life would be a lot easier for all. Such an eye opening message and overall a great experience.
On Friday, my roommates and I decided we should celebrate National Donut Day by grabbing some breakfast at this ADORABLE bakery called The Rolling Donut. They had so many unique flavors and I wanted to try them all. My indecisiveness and I almost had a panic attack trying to decide which one I wanted. I ultimately went with the cookies and cream and it was honestly a great choice. We are already talking about going back so we can try more flavors! We did some sightseeing later in the day and I noticed that the elevators in one of the buildings was completely clear! I took a note of this because yesterday at Deaf Village, our tour guide mentioned that clear elevators are very beneficial for deaf individuals incase they get stuck and need to sign or communicate with others around them. And though this clear elevator was likely just for aesthetic purposes, I thought it was interesting how sometimes we can make unintentional accommodations for people with disabilities. I am hoping by being more aware, society as a whole can start to make intentional ones!
On Friday night we watched a woman’s cricket game which was so interesting to watch! I had no idea what was going on, but it was exciting to observe something new and see how dedicated the fans were. We took the train to get over to the field and noticed that the system was not the most compliant for the disabled community. From the large gaps between the train and loading area, to the lack of auditory cues at each stop, there is much that Transport for Ireland (the public transport brand in Dublin) can do to improve its experience for all users.
Saturday was a rest day as we had nothing planned. I was able to exercise, do laundry, go grocery shopping, and get some work done which was very helpful after a chaotic week of running around. For dinner we tried to grab some traditional Irish food at The Hairy Lemon but instead ended up at restaurant called The Market Bar! They had live music and some delicious food, it was a great time!
Tomorrow we head to Kilkenny and my biggest goal is to find a sheep! I will keep you updated with my discoveries!