> Tues 22nd Sept

“The Right to a Quality Multilingual Inclusive Education.”

As we continue ISL Awareness Week in Ireland, alongside International Week of Deaf People 2026, today’s focus is on the right of Deaf people to access quality education through sign language.

Education is a human right, and Deaf people should be able to access learning through Irish Sign Language at every stage of life. For Deaf children, that means access to ISL from an early age and learning environments where their language, identity and culture are understood.

Education also continues throughout adulthood, through further education, training, employment skills and lifelong learning. Access through ISL can make the difference between being able to participate fully and being left behind.

Quality education should be designed with Deaf learners in mind from the beginning.

Filmed on location at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7.
With thanks to the National Museum of Ireland for supporting this content and for its continued work on Irish Sign Language access.

Most Googled Questions About Deaf People | Part 2

As part of ISL Awareness Week and International Week of Deaf People 2026, we’re back with more of the questions hearing people are asking Google about Deaf people.

This time, Ronan Farrell, Johnny Corcoran, Alan Smith and Sarah Jane O'Regan tackle two more questions:

- Can Deaf people go to college?
- Can Deaf people read Braille?
Same four people. Same questions. Different experiences and perspectives. The views expressed by participants are their own

Deaf Perspectives | A Roundtable Discussion | Part 2

What needs to change for Deaf children growing up in Ireland?

As part of ISL Awareness Week and International Week of Deaf People 2026, today’s clip from Deaf Perspectives | A Roundtable Discussion looks at this question through the experiences and perspectives of our participants.

This 7 minute extract explores some of the issues, experiences and changes participants feel are important for Deaf children growing up in Ireland.

These daily clips are just a small part of a much wider conversation.

The full roundtable discussion will be available soon, so watch this space.

The views expressed by participants are their own.

Accessibility note: We know voiceover is important for making this content accessible to a wider audience. These short clips are a preview of the full roundtable and currently do not include voiceover. Voiceover is being included as part of the full production, which will be released at a later date

A great evening in Cork for International Week of Deaf People and ISL Awareness Week 2026

A big thank you to Cork Deaf Club for hosting the IDS information session on Tuesday evening, and to everyone from the local Deaf community who came along and took part.

IDS colleagues Robyn Cunneen, Research & Policy Officer, and Damien Owens, Advocacy Development Officer, presented on this year’s International Week of Deaf People themes, looking at Deaf rights, Irish Sign Language, accessibility and how the themes connect with the Irish context.

It was great to see such strong local engagement, discussion and community participation throughout the evening.

Thank you again to Cork Deaf Club for the warm welcome and for helping to mark the week locally.

 

 

 

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Irish Deaf Society