Our Say, Our Rights Quilt
IDRIGHTS.IE C/O SCHOOL OF NURSING & MIDWIFERY TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN © IDRIGHTS AND THE ARTISTS 2011
Title:
The ‘Our Say, Our Rights’ Quilt Project
Project Leaders:
Lorraine Keating and Fintan Sheerin
Background The idea for the ‘Our Say, Our Rights’ quilt project came up at an IDRights meeting earlier this year. IDRights is a group that is working to link together human rights activities in Ireland and to make a new human rights activity that will include many people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland. We want: •To meet and talk with people with intellectual disabilities, so that they can be more part of human rights projects and work; •To meet, talk and build relationships with other groups, agencies and organisations; •To advise and watch the growing of human rights education and training. This will raise awareness of their human rights for people with intellectual disabilities, service providers and the general public; •To plan and host activities and events to raise awareness about human rights for people with intellectual disabilities.
We had run Rights Days in 2009 and 2010 in Dublin and Limerick and we wanted to do something different this year. So, we decided to do a quilt. The ‘Our Say, Our Rights’ quilt was about people’s rights. We wanted lots of people to make squares that could be added to the quilt. We wanted each person to make a square and to put a picture on the square about a right that was important to them. We also wanted each person to put their name on the square that they made. We wanted people to talk about their rights when they were making their squares.
We were aiming to make a big quilt that would have lots of people’s rights on it. This would be shown at our Rights Day in 2011. This would get people thinking about their rights and talking to each other about their rights. It would also get people to listen to each other’s ideas about their rights. Making the Quilt We sent out invitations to lots of people all over Ireland asking them to send us their squares. We got replies from Dublin, Sligo, Waterford, Limerick, Tipperary, Clare and even from Canada! 147 people sent in squares to make the quilt. We did not expect to get such a good response. When people were making their squares, Lorraine was working on the centrepiece. This was 1 metre wide and 1 metre high and was fabric painted and the design and the words ‘Our Say, Our Rights’ were embroidered on the material. When the squares first arrived we wrote down all the names of the people who made them. Fintan took digital photographs of each of the squares and saved them on the computer. Most people wrote a piece about their square and about what it meant to them. Originally we had planned to stitch all of the squares together to make a quilt but there were a lot of squares…too many to put together in one quilt! So, we mounted them on large boards. Instead of making a real quilt, we made a collage of the photographs of the squares using a computer programme.
The Rights Day 2011 The Rights Day took place on 14th September 2011 in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. There were about 120 people present. Lorraine gave the opening and closing addresses and this was her first time to do anything like this. She was great! We made a presentation for the Rights Day which brought together squares that had similar meanings or themes. Every square was shown on the screen and everyone there had the opportunity to speak about their square. We found 7 themes: • Home and personal space; • Choice and normal living patterns; • Being heard; • Work and money; • Family, friends and relationships; • Respect and equality; • Health and support. The theme that came out strongest was ‘choice and normal living patterns’, followed by ‘family, friends and relationships’, and ‘being heard’. This tells us that it is important for people to be able to make choices in their lives. It also tells us that people want to have the same choices and to be able to do the same types of things as other people in Irish society. The project was a lot of hard work, and took 6 months to complete, but it was worth it. We are so happy that we have achieved this and congratulate everybody who took part. We still hope to bring together all of the squares in a real quilt, but this will take a bit longer.
Conclusion It was hard work and we were quite stressed but it all came together on the day. Every-body we spoke to was happy and felt that the Right Day went well. It was really worth-while and Lorraine worked very hard throughout the project and deserves great credit. The day could not have happened without the work of the IDRights Steering Committee – Poilin Brennan, Sharon Cruise, Angelina Veiga, Paul Alford, Clare Naughton, Aoife Biggs, Freida Kavanagh, Jim Candavel Raman and Edurne Garcia Iriarte. Lorraine Keating and Fintan Sheerin
We would like to invite people to become involved in IDRights, if they wish to, because it would be great for everyone who has an intellectual disability to work together for their rights. If you would like to get involved you can contact: Dr. Fintan Sheerin Chairperson IDRights School of Nursing and Midwifery Trinity College Dublin Dublin 2. Email: sheerinf@tcd.ie
Home and Personal Space
These squares are about your home and your own personal space
Artist: Shelley Y. Shelter is a nice home to live in; it is a place where you can feel safe and warm. Having a home is important because I really like my privacy and a place where I can do what I want – such as needlepoint and origami.
Artist: John Kavanagh I have the right to feel safe and secure in my own home and that I am happy in my own home, have my own room and my own possessions.
Artist: Mary McCann I have a new house. I live there with my mom. The house is in the town and I like living in the town. My new house has a stairs and my bedroom is upstairs. I am very happy in my new house.
Artist: Michael Coghlan The picture is about home and a place to live. I would like to live in a community setting.
Artist: Nicole P. I think that it’s important to have the right to be a citizen of the country you live in because you will be treated the same as others who also live in your country. In Canada, I have my family, a husband, friends, and Prospect to go to.
Artist: Aideen Higgins What’s important to me? My home, my family, to be able to explore and try out new things!
Artist: John Freeman I have the right to live where I choose
Artist: Teresa Kavanagh I have the right to my privacy! I like to have my own space where I can do what I want and spend time alone.
Artist: Kieran McGovern I did my patch on the right to belong to a country. The top flag is USA because my brother lives there. The middle is Irish, I belong here. The bottom flag is the English flag because my nephew lives there. Everybody has the right to belong to a country
Artist: Rory Rainey My square is about the right to space and privacy.
Artist: Geraldine Neylon I have right a home and work. I have rights money. My brother work pub.
Artist: Terence Liston I live at home with my sister and I choose to keep the garden looking well. This picture is of the tools I have at home. I like gardening in late Spring and Summer and I like using these tools. I use them to dig up weeds. In Spring I spend more time outside.
Choice and Normal Living Patterns
This is about making choices and have life experiences similar to those of other people
Artist: Brendan Murphy I love to have a full day with lots of activity. I love to choose. My favourite things are swimming, running and eating ice cream as a treat.
Artist: Sean Williams Like most 24 year olds I like to socialise. I especially love going to concerts with my family and friends. My patch work shows the name of my favourite band “Westlife�. It is important to me to have opportunities to be supported to go to concerts.
Artist: Paul Hester Rainbow, a girl, flower, tree, cloud, moon. I wrote my name. Thumbs up!
Artist: John Joe Fitzpatrick It is important to me that I have the right to choose what food I eat, when I eat and where I eat.
Artist: Joe Lancaster The rights that is important to me is the right to choose what I do in my spare time. I love going to football matches, my favourite team is the Dublin team. I also enjoy going for a pint and listening to any type of music. Having the right to choose what I do in my spare time gives me more confidence to enjoy my life, my way.
Artist: Geraldine Harty I have the right to go to the cinema.
Artist: Alice Power I have the right to wear nice clothes and to go shopping to choose my own clothes.
Artist: Jenny Corrigan I have the right to go abroad.
Artist: Phil O’Brien I have the right to go swimming.
Artist: Catherine O’Mahony
Artist: Clare McDonald I have the right to leisure time.
Artist: Morgan Cole I like taking a risk, trying out new things and challenging myself.
Artist: Margaret Kidney I have the right to go on holiday.
Artist: Fiona Quinn My square is about the right to go out and about. I love going out on the bus.
Artist: Fiona Smyth I have the right to go for a Chinese meal. I like to choose chicken fried rice, diet Coke and a cup of coffee.
Artist: Monica O’Brien The right of choice.
Artist: Brian McSweeney People should be free to travel all over the world. It is a human right.
Artists: St. Joseph’s Centre Clonsilla, Day Activities Choice.
Artist: Louise O’Halloran The right to have a dog.
Artist: Stephanie Rourke Choice!
Artist: Damien Flynn My square is about the right to choose. I choose to do basketball and football because I like them sports.
Artist: Emma Buckley The right that is important to me is the right to have a meaningful day. My design is of a quilt, different squares added together to make a beautiful quilt, like me doing different activities . I like to make a great day!
Artist: Phyllis Whelan Choices!
Artist: Eileen Quilken I knit because I love it. I feel great when I knit because it makes me relax. The colours are important to me too. I like mixing the colours. I paint as well and use lots of colours. I am good at painting, people like my work. I give them as gifts. Everyone has the right to be able to make things, or knit or paint.
Artist: Eithne Boohan I have the right to have a cat.
Artist: Heather Lyons I get to see all my cousins. I get to talk to a lot of people. I get pictures taken. I got to go to Leann’s 18th birthday. I got to eat a lot of food and danced a good bit.
Artist: Sophie Ryan
Artist: Margaret Russell I have the right to have fun.
Artist: Nora Murray Decisions!
Artist: Gerard McHugh We have a right to religion. There are different types of religion and at mass you can meet different people from different countries. Some people wear different things to church for example some people wear hats to mass especially the men. We have a right to have help from staff with going to mass if we choose.
Artist: Siobhan Stanley I have the right to go on holiday.
Artist: Dolores Lehane Decisions!
Artist: Sean O’Gorman I like to choose the activities that I do. I like horse riding. I used to go horseriding every Tuesday in school. I am looking forward to going horse-riding again in the future.
Artist: Michael Coughlan My right to make choices is very important to me. I like to choose my food, places to go and people I see. My friends are also very important to me.
Artist: Cliodhna Enright We have a right to have leisure activities.
Artist: Michael Connaughton I have the right to choose what I like to eat.
Artist: Leanne Wynne I get to choose my own clothes. I get the chance to talk to people in town. It means a lot to me because I get to spend the afternoon with my Mum. I get to choose my own DVDs because I use my own money.
Artist: Sarah Madden I like to pick my own clothes. I like to pick my own jewellery. Westlife choose their own clothes.
Artist: Orna Lowney I like walking my dog ‘Beara’. I walk my dog every evening.
Artist: CaitrĂona Landers I have the right to go to mass, shopping, holidays and disco.
Artist: John Mooney My square is about the Sound Boys. This is a band I am part of. It was one of my goals to be in a band.
Artist: Amanda MacAllister This is me at a disco with my friends and boyfriend Mark.
Artist: Shelley Y. I feel that it is very important that I get to choose where I want to live, and my roommate that I live with. I am happy that I get to choose what types of food I get to eat, the day program I go to, and the swimming and golfing activities that I do. Most importantly, I know I have the right to change anything in my life if I am not happy with it.
Artist: Margaret Russell I have the right to make a snowman
Artist: Marie Balfe My picture is of walking shoes. I find walking interesting and I like to get exercise. I like to walk in the local park and to the local shop. I meet nice people when I am walking.
Artist: Raymond Powell I have the right to have fun and be happy with my friends.
Artist: Margaret Kidney I have the right to have my own pet.
Artist: Leonie Tighe I have the right to eat, drink and be happy.
Artist: Monica Quigley I like colouring, especially with crayons. I use colouring books sometimes, and just a plain page other times. My favourite colour is blue. There are lots of colours in this square. All the stripes look different and still look the same. People are like this, but some of us are seen as ‘more different’, but we are the same.
Family, Friends and Relationships
These tell us about the importance of family and friends. They are also about love and relationships.
Artist: Suzette MacFarlene I have the right to visit home.
Artist: Michelle O’Meara I have the right to have friends and relationships with whoever I choose.
Artist: Jane King Friends.
Artist: Melanie Hartnett The right to spend time with my family. We all go to the pub together as a family. I also go to the pub to meet my friend Sarah.
Artist: Nancy L. I have a right to love and be loved.
Artist: Ian Manton I like to be living in a house with my fiends during the week and going home to my family house at the weekend
Artist: Cian O’Connor I think getting married is important. When people get married it is their decision to make. I would like to get married one day.
Artist: Susan Sheridan My house own think of me mother and daddy and 3 sisters and 2 brothers. And my house beautiful. Great. And remember house lovely.
Artist: Noel Steers I have a right to friendship.
Artist: Nancy L. I have the right to get married.
Artist: Francis Donnelly The things that are important to me are my mum, my friends and family. I live in St. Vincent’s. I am in an advocacy group where I learn all about my rights.
Artist: Grace Howley I have the right to fall in love and the right to get married.
Artist: Alice McGrath I wrote about my sisters and family.
Artist: Morgan Cole T is important to me to have friends. I like going out and have fun with them.
Artist: Jane Langan I did my square on the family. I like to spend time with them.
Artist: Grainne MacAndrew My square is about friends. I live to see my friends and spend time with them.
Artist: ﾃ（ne Carey People have the rights to have friendships.
Artist: Karen Baum I want to get married but they won’t let me get married. They say we can’t get married but I don’t want to be single all my life.
Artist: Camille O’Sullivan I have the right to have a relationship.
Artist: Michael Naughton We have aright to have relationships.
Artist: Geraldine Harty I have the right to have friends.
Artist: Sarah Dunster My square is about the right to support. I talk to my counsellor about how I feel. This helps me.
Artist: Philip Kelly My square is about the right to have a girlfriend. I would really like to have a girlfriend.
Artist: Kellie Cousins My square is about the right to see my friends and spend time with them
Being Heard
These are about the importance of speaking out and having a voice.
Artist: Tina Doolin The right that is most important to me is the right to be heard. I love going out shopping and I appreciate that the staff ask me where I would like to go and what I would like to buy. I enjoy picking out my own clothes and jewellery. Having the right to be heard gives me choice in my life and gives me more independence.
Artist: Evaun Mulhern I have the right to vote.
Artist: Aileen Harte I have the right to speak out.
Artist: Mark Steele I have the right to ask questions. It is important to ask questions because we want to know everything and we don’t know everything. Asking questions helps us make choices. It is important that people answer our questions.
Artist: Grรกinne Loftus The right that is most important to me is to advocate, to speak up for myself. My square shows me being heard by the people around me.
Artist: Wayne McCarthy I have the right to speak up and be listened to.
Artist: Rebecca Finn I have the right to be listened to.
Artist: Martin Rowan I have the right to be on the committee. I like to be involved with them. I like to meet people.
Artist: Tara Shea My square is about the right to have a voice and speak up for myself.
Artist: Aileen Higgins What’s important to me? My home, my family, to be able to explore and try out new things.
Artist: Freida Kavanagh My square is about the right to use your voice. Speak up for yourself and others.
Artist: David McHugh This represents our right to speak up for ourselves. It is important to speak up for ourselves and for others so that we don’t get bullied.
Artist: Natasha Cosgrave Each person has the right for their voice to be heard irrespective of age, gender or ability.
Artist: James Hannon I have the right to vote. I voted in the general election in 2011.
Artist: Eric Masterson My square is about speaking up for myself and others.
Artist: Orla Daly My square is about standing up for yourself and telling people what you want and don’t back down.
Artists: Marlus Plourde and Scott Berry Get the anger out of you‌express yourself
Artist: Sarah Sherwood A right that’s important to me is the right to speak up for myself, the right to advocate. My square shows me speaking at a meeting.
Artist: Carmel Rooney I have the right to speak up for myself.
Health and Support
These are about the right to support and health services
Artist: Margo W. Having access to medical treatment is important to me.
Artist: Margo W. Health care.
Artist: Margaret Rainsford The right to be healthy.
Artist: Gillian Murphy Right for green environment
Artist: Teresa Duffy Right to supports
Artist: Clare Smith I have the right to healthy food.
Artist: Winnie Dunne Better healthcare right and right to medications.
Artists: Claire, Danny, Stephen, Eithne and Fergal We have a right to a health system.
Artist: Aideen Harte I have a right to healthcare.
Artist: Sheila McElgunn I have a right for free hospital treatment.
Artist: Sean Noonan Health is very important to me. I watch my diet.
Artist: Morgan Cole I have the right to healthcare. To have all my healthcare needs known and met.
Work and Money
These are about the right to work and earn a fair wage.
Artist: Darren Hanley I love having the choice to spend my money on things that I really love. I love to go to the shop and buy Cola and horse books.
Artist: Elizabeth Bracken I have a right to work.
Artist: Mary Keogh I have a right to work and be paid every Friday.
Artist: Jean Garrigan, Michael Naughton & Mark O’Neill We have a right to have our own money and to buy our own things.
Artist: Denise O’Keefe I have the right to work in a garden.
Artist: Grace Howley I have the right to employment. I work part-time in Tesco as a care assistant. I would love to be a fashion designer and I am always designing outfits. I would love to be an actor. This is my main passion. I have been doing drama classes for the past few years and one day I hope to be employed as an actor or fashion designer. I have the same rights as everyone else.
Artists: Frances Quinn and Mary Frances White My right to manage my money.
Artist: Eleanor Sheehan
Artist: Sarah Casey
Artist: Dorothy Loh Stephen is collecting bottles…and sells the empties
Artist: Stephen MacDermot I chose this right because I have the right to work. Because I have the right to earn money.
Artist: Liz Fitzgerald I have the right to work as a hairdresser.
Artist: Raymond Alwright A right that’s important to me is to follow my goals. My number one goal is to be a DJ.
Respect and Equality
In these we see that people want to be treated equally and to be respected
Artist: Martina Maye It is important to me that I am treated fairly, that I can choose what I want to do and nobody stops me, that I am listened to and respected.
Artist: Jenny Grant It is important to me that I am treated equally and that I have the opportunities to take part in activities as I wish.
Artist: Angela Power I have the right not to be discriminated against. That people listen to me and respect my decisions. That I am included in any decisions about me.
Artist: Gillian Hutchinson I have the right not to be shouted at, threatened or made afraid.
Artist: Des Fitzgerald Fairness is a right that is really important to me. I wrote the word in big block capitals to make my message loud and clear.
Artist: Conn O’Rathaille Equal rights to freedom.
Artist: St. Joseph’s Centre Clonsilla, Day Activity Centre Equality.
Artist: Aimee Richardson The right that is important to me is the right to mainstream education. I’ve drawn a picture onto my square of my ideal school for all.
Artist: Michael McGuire I have the right to access. My big wheelchair needs a lot of space. I want to be able to go to all public places easily.
Artist: Eithne, Steve, Danny and Claire We have the right to be treated the same.
Artist: Elizabeth Bracken I have the right to education.
Artist: Martina Campbell I have the right to freedom from abuse and neglect to me it means the right to be safe and to take care of my personal well-being and safety.
Artist: Deirdre Kelly Right to go to school
Artist: Mark O’Neill We have the right to vote, to go mass, to go to the pub, to have a boyfriend/ girlfriend, to have money, to own my own things, to privacy, to information, to say yes and no, to speak up.
Artist: The Artisans, Carmona Services We have the right to freedom.
Artist: Christina Jarock Sometimes people laugh at me. I just don’t look at them. I think of something good. I like to paint flowers. Sometimes when I’m not very happy I paint flowers and then I feel happy.
Artist: Scott Berry & Louis O,Coffey Transportation is an important right. It lets you go where you want but no one likes having to wait for a ride.