Irish presenter and broadcaster Joe Duffy led a discussion on Friday’s RTE Liveline show after attending Damien Dempsey’s ‘Tales From the Holy Well in Dublin Abbey Theatre on Thursday, February 9th.
Callers discussed Irish sign language and its importance in society, and its benefits to children and adults alike.
One caller Laura Tobin said sign language should be taught in primary schools.
READ MORE: RTE viewers praise 'brave' victim of Christian Brothers abuse as he tells story
Laura told Liveline: “Children would use it if they met a deaf person, it does enhance your career, it is the second official language in Ireland, it’s enhanced my life.
“If you have sign language, you can get to know people, and know their personality.”
When Laura’s daughter Aishling attended school, she was discouraged from learning sign language.
Ms Tobin said: “My daughter Aishling is now 37, she uses sign language. We were discouraged from using sign, because she wasn’t able to speak. When she was 12, we could always communicate with her, but not her friends.
“I brought her to deaf scouts. I couldn’t communicate with everyone there, I thought, 'I don't care what they’ve told us, I’m learning sign language'.
“If you want to learn it, you’ll learn,” she added.
“My daughter has a baby Poppy, who is 18 months old, both of her parents are deaf.
“We’ve been teaching her sign language from 6 months old, she’s got to be able to communicate with her apartments.
“She knows loads of words, she’s ahead with her speech.”
There are no definitive statistics on the size of the Deaf community in Ireland, but it is estimated that 5,000 people communicate in Irish Sign Language (ISL) as their primary language together with a community of an estimated 40,000 including family, friends and those working in the Deaf community.
According to the Irish Deaf Society, most recent data from the CSO show there are over 103,000 people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Ireland.
However, not all communicate in ISL as their primary language, or many may not be part of the Deaf community.
IDS are members of the World Federation of the Deaf and the European Union of the Deaf.
Joe spoke with Amanda Coogan, Sign Language interpreter, for the performance of Damien Dempsey’s show and an Irish Visual Artist.
Amanda is an internationally recognised and critically acclaimed artist working across the media of live art, performance, photography and video.
Amanda Coogan has signed all of the Toy Show's ISL versions to date, and has Coogan holds a degree in Sculpture from Dublin’s NCAD and was awarded her PhD "Deconstructing and Reconstructing live Durational Performance in the Gallery" from the University of Ulster in 2013.
Joe said: “I was at the performance last night, you signed every word Damien Dempsey spoke, and sang, it was fantastic.”
Joe tweeted: As if “@DamoDempsey wasn’t mesmeric enough last night's performance at
@AbbeyTheatre was signed by @AmandaCoogan3 an absolute privilege to watch her work.miraculous @Chime Amanda’s work just had to be seen to be believed. Astonishing feat.”
Amanda expressed that she was a fan of Damien Dempsey and described how she prepared for signing the performance.
She told Liveline: “I am tremendously a huge fan, when the Abbey were putting it on, I
“I knew the songs as a fan, you just kind of listen and prepare, and think about it.”
“I want the deaf audience to have the same experience as the hearing people.”
“Damo’s music and the story he’s telling on the stage, they’re so empowering and are about trauma and surviving.”
“I’m always looking at it and how do we put across those contents.”
“I had about two weeks to prepare, since Monday I was full-time preparing it.”
“Isn’t it great to welcome Irish sign language into their doors, our national theatre.”
“I’m a child of deaf parents, they met in the deaf club.”
“We had a brilliant Irish language act, it has really opened up opportunities to the deaf community, it is growing and developing.”
“It’s starting to really open up to other theatres.”
One caller came on the talk show just to say she found herself watching Amanda more than Damien.
Gemma said: “I found myself watching her, more than him.”
While another caller came on air to encourage sign language being taught in Irish schools.
Mary called and said: “It should be taught in schools, I have two grandchildren, who are hearing and they are learning sign language.”
The segment finished with Amanda’s number one fan Vivienne who sang her praises and thanked her for being there for son Mark.
Vivienne excitedly said “She’s amazing, she’s done so much for the deaf community in Ireland. I want to thank you for being there for my son Mark.”
Liveline is a broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday afternoon between 1.45pm and 3pm.
You can get tickets to Damien Dempsey's "Tales from the Holywell" show here and keep up with Amanda Coogan here
READ MORE:
Pub selling cheapest pints of Guinness in Ireland declares 'we have to look after our locals'
'Give back Mary' - Community demand return of huge statue stolen from Wicklow grotto
Irish nurses under attack as they face stab threats, being spat at and verbally abused at work
Weather phenomenon 'risk increasing' as expert issues reminder with jetstream approaching Ireland
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
