Ciaran’s Peculier [sic] Blog

I am pissed off. A recent report by the OECD found that there were high levels of poverty amongst the disabled in Ireland – not exactly news to me. It suggested that such poverty was because disabled people didn’t always have adequate access to training and education to gain qualifications. Well I have the highest degree I can get in my chosen area, a PhD in history, from one of Ireland’s most prestigious universities, Trinity College Dublin, and I am still poor, at least financially, and I expect to remain so for the rest of my life. You see, if you’re disabled, you can have all the qualifications you want, but you will still be sidelines or ignored. Public institutions will have nice verbal candy saying that they are “equal opportunities employers’ or that they are committed to the improvement of the lives of the disabled, but in practice this means sweet fu….

One skill that I have, along with the vast majority of people, is literacy. I am able to read and write and I enjoy both activities immensely. There are a small little clique – small in size but alas powerful – who wish I couldn’t write. Let me repeat I enjoy writing, as I feel it’s something I’m tolerably good at; I also love expressing myself. Yet since the onset of Multiple Sclerosis I cannot deny that I find it tiring. So when I write a letter or an e-mail to someone, and they don’t reply, I see it as the height of rudeness. I’m sure there are probably letters out there that I haven’t replied to, but the thought appals me. Anyone who sends me a message by e-mail, which is not rude or offensive, (and in fact it can be as offensive as it likes if it comes from someone I actually know), will receive a reply as quickly as I can write it.

People who read my blog will be aware of how I have talked about the problem of semi-literacy which affects some public officials, especially here In Cavan, and how I have spoken of schemes of intensive tutoring to help them, all paid for by the tax-payer naturally. I know well that these highly-paid mandarins are not semi-literate; they can read and write (and certainly count) as well as anyone; they are just plain bad-mannered with the social graces of a serially randy skunk who believes that they only need communicate with those who are important i.e. “The People”.

Sadly this rudeness also affects members of our legislature. I’m sick and tired of writing to TDs and never getting a reply. I’m tempted to introduce a “name and shame” scheme.

Another great excuse is that “we sent you an e-mail but you mustn’t have seen it.” What they are saying is that “You’re blind and partially sighted aren’t you. It’s a reasonable excuse to give when in fact we haven’t sent an invitation at all.” Let’s name and shame: I was a student of Cavan’s Royal School. I worked hard and got very good exams results. I thought I had brought honour on my school, and I was certainly proud of having attended it, feeling that it had taught me many things. Yet when the school decided to write its history I wasn’t asked to do this; in fact I wasn’t even asked to the launch of the book. My head-master said he had invited me by e-mail (itself not a proper form of invitation). The person whom he had charged with sending this electronic invitation claimed that he had sent it. He furthermore told me that there would be a further event related to the school’s history in September 2008. I waited for an invitation, which never came. To quote the title of one of Pedro Almodovar’s films “What have I done to deserve this?” The Gardai never had to come up to the school to question me. I was revising for my inter-cert when a group of vandals carried out an arson attack on an Orange hall near Bailieborough. It would have been common courtesy to be invited – courtesy was something that was instilled in me by the school’s teachers, but as is so often the case I tink it was more “Do as we say and not as we do.”

I’ve said enough. What’s more I’m getting tired.