News

Maynooth Brownies were delighted to engage with the Our World initiative while working on their Brownie Disability Awareness Badge. Over a couple of weeks, Maynooth Access Group joined Brownies at their meetings with a selection of toys from the amazing, inclusive and sustainable toy lending library. Brownies are aged 7-10 years and are a part […]

An audit of our town identified a real need for more accessible seating particularly in areas where people gather and along walking routes into town. MAG have now gifted three new age friendly / accessible benches to our community. Two benches opposite the church at the entrance to the boy’s schools and a third bench […]

Maynooth Access Group presented Maynooth GAA Club with a purple Access Matters flag and a GAA For All Communications Board and distributed copies of the County Kildare Access Network funded book “Johnny Magory and the mystery of the missing puppies”. You will see more about this fantastic book elsewhere on this website. This initiative is […]

Presentation of a buddy bench to Stepping Stones Special School for their sensory garden.

Maynooth Access Group is so proud of our intergenerational social gardening project between Maynooth senior citizens and scouts from the 8th Kildare Maynooth scout group, which is being spearheaded by our vice chair and scout leader Carmelia Jordan. Gardening projects like this provide a welcoming space to share cultural and life experience and a way […]

In 2023 Maynooth Access Group were nominated by Kildare County Council to represent them in the All Ireland IPB Pride of Place Award (please see accompanying video for greater details). Maynooth Access Group took first place in Category 6 – Creative Space Initiative. A wonderful evening in Armagh city showcasing the work of groups and […]

Since its inception, the David Mulready Memorial Cycle (formerly Maynooth Veló Abú) has had a place on the Maynooth Access Group’s calendar. Members of M.A.G. have volunteered each year the event has been held, working in many areas from registration to marshalling, food distribution, road signage and cleaning up. It has grown to be one […]

What a privilege to participate in the Inclusive Play Workshop for MU Social Justice Week 2024 with Deidre Forde, Georga Dowling and Evelyn Reilly from MU Froebel Department of Primary and Early Child Education. A great opportunity for us to introduce our collection of diverse and inclusive toys and accessories to a new cohort of […]

Shared interests in advocating for and raising awareness about persons with disabilities was the catalyst which brought these two groups together through their social media outlets. Posts by Maynooth Access Group which detailed their flagship project “Our World” caught the attention of members of Waterford Disability Network and they were very interested to learn more […]

In 2019 Maynooth Access Group won seed funding at the Intel Pride of Place Award competition. (Picture 1 and 2) In 2022 Maynooth Access Group won the Intel Pride of Place Award for their disability awareness project “Our World”. (Pictures 3 & 4)  

Accessible benches KCC funded seating in Newbridge Seating purchased by the Access Group through KCCs Community & Cultural grant in 2021 was installed at St Conleth’s Church and Military Rd and as a result matching funding from Rotary Club of Newbridge provided accessible seats at the Sports Centre and Lakeside-Highfield Dara Park area. Liz Mc […]

Kare Enhances Inclusive Play for Service Users with Donation of Inclusive Toys from CKAN Kare, a dedicated organisation providing community-based supports to children and adults with intellectual disabilities across Kildare, Offaly, and Wicklow, continues to make a significant impact in these communities. Their services span a wide range of support programs designed to empower individuals […]

Kildare Social Inclusion Week 2024 Launches with Vibrant Arts and Crafts Exhibition Kildare Social Inclusion Week 2024 kicked off in style with a Community Arts and Crafts Exhibition, held at Newbridge Town Hall on Monday, September 23. The event, which celebrated the creativity of local artists and makers, was organised collaboratively by Newbridge Disability Access […]

Make Way Day is a Disability Federation Ireland (DFI) led initiative, working in collaboration with local government, the voluntary sector and the Roads Policing Unit of An Garda Síochána. Newbridge Disability Access Group support this campaign annually to highlight issues that block the way for local residents and to take note of trip hazards and […]

The school’s poster initiative from Newbridge Access Group was originally designed and distributed to all schools in the Newbridge area in 2004.  It is a disability awareness educational tool for teachers and children about disability. Maureen Walsh a local animator was the artist involved in creating the cartoons in both colour and black and white. […]

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of […]

As part of an iniatative working with Naas MD Councillor and Naas Access Group, the first wheelchair accessible, Garda Community bus in Europe was unveiled. This news was reported on by the Irish Mirror newspaper.   Article Link

Thanking Tesco for their help with funding for the group and the Cancer Support Garden in Naas. Fairy Flax community garden working with Tesco and Naas Hospital Cancer Unit Age-Friendly, Irish made recyled plastic accessible seating area.    

Make Way Day is an annual campaign from the Disability Federation of Ireland. On that day we ask people to make way on our streets for people with disabilities and we raise public awareness about the problems caused by obstacles blocking footpaths.  The campaign provides friendly friendly reminders not to: Carelessly park cars & bikes […]

Every year, across the country, our ingenious members take this matter into their own hands through the Back In 5 campaign. During a day of action, hundreds of wheelchairs are parked unexpectedly in car parking spaces around the country, to put the brakes on this illegal parking. There are currently almost 75,000 Disabled Drivers Parking […]

The JAM Card allows people with a hidden disability or communication barrier to tell others that they need extra time and understanding in a private and easy way.

This event takes place annually on 3rd December. Kildare County Council, C.K.A.N. and local Access Groups encourage participation on the day from the business and school communities, libraries and public buildings to be seen to support and promote disability awareness and the importance of accessibility for all members of our society. This is achieved by […]

On the 21st November 2023: Kildare County Council, through Creative Places Athy, together with the Athy Disability Access Group were delighted to announce details of The Athy Billboard Project, a creative and informative initiative to promote universal access in Kildare.    Creative Places Athy carried out a commission competition seeking an artist/collective to create work which challenges us […]