Streete woman stars on huge mural in Dublin city centre
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Amanda Butler from Streete in front of a 60ft mural of her by renowned street artist Joe Caslin which has been erected on a building on the corner of Harcourt Street and Clonmel Street in Dublin’s City Centre.Image 2 of 2
Amanda Butler, Streete, pictured with artist Joe Caslin and Barry Sheridan CEO Down Syndrome Ireland, in front of a 60ft mural erected on a building on in Dublin’s City Centre to mark Down Syndrome Ireland’s 50th birthday.A 20-metre mural of Amanda Butler from Streete, by renowned Tullamore street artist Joe Caslin was unveiled in Dublin city centre last week to mark the 50th anniversary of Down Syndrome Ireland.
The piece is entitled ‘Don’t Talk Down to Me’ and was erected overnight on a building off Harcourt Street. It features a smiling 21-year-old Amanda, who said she is excited to be part of Down Syndrome Ireland’s celebrations and grateful to be given the chance to smile.
Amanda has an enthusiasm for life that is infection to anyone who meets her. As her family says, “Amanda will make your world a little brighter by just being in it”.
She is “so excited to be a part of the Down Syndrome Ireland Anniversary” and “grateful I have been given the chance to shine!”
A keen swimmer and a lover of music, Amanda is a big fan of Lady Gaga and Westlife. She loves helping on her family farm and training her dog, Lucy.
At the moment, Amanda is developing her job skills, and hopes to secure a post in the hospitality sector. Amanda also happens to have Down syndrome.
Joe Caslin, a teacher in Tullamore, is one of Ireland’s leading street artists and has created several murals focusing on social issues, including one advocating same-sex marriage on George’s Street, Dublin in 2015, Our Nation’s Sons, which explored issues affecting boys and young men, and The Volunteers series, which highlighted the importance of voluntary work in areas such as drug addiction, mental health and direct provision.
Amanda is a friend of Joe’s and he found it “personally poignant” to work with her and her family.
He says in this mural Amanda invites you into her world and asks you to consider her, her Down syndrome and the positive presence she can bring to a space, a place of work, a neighbourhood or a city.
The unveiling of the portrait of Amanda coincides with the publication of a new report – The Upside – Life with Down Syndrome, which highlights the gaps between public aspirations and the reality for people like Amanda and their families in day-to-day life.
The report focuses on four aspects of life for a person with Down syndrome – health, education, employment and life in the community. It found that 60pc of post primary students with Down syndrome would like to go to college, but less than 30pc were doing a course before the pandemic struck and many of those courses were delivered in health care settings by care staff.
According to an Oireachtas Disability Group Pre-Budget Submission, Ireland has the lowest rate of employment and one of the highest rates of poverty for people with disability in the EU.
Barry Sheridan, CEO of Down Syndrome Ireland, is anxious to change this. DSI acknowledges that life has changed fundamentally for people with Down syndrome since the association was founded in 1971, but still only 6pc of adults are employed and wants action to change this.
Over the last five years, DSI has made 20 submissions to government consultations and has participated in numerous pilot programmes. The time for talking has passed, now it’s time for action to bridge the significant gaps in inclusion, Mr Sheridan said.
DSI wants already adopted legislation and policies implemented in full and long-standing, out-dated laws updated as they are irrelevant and unfit for purpose. For example, the 2015 Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act has not been fully implemented which means that vulnerable people are having their capacity challenged under the 1871 Lunacy Act.
On this, their 50th anniversary, the DSI are re-dedicating themselves to a world in which all those with Down syndrome have the chance to enhance their quality of life, realise their life’s aspirations and become valued members of a welcoming society.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Sheridan said that prompt access to healthcare and especially to early interventions and therapies, such as speech and language therapy, are essential.
He also said that Ireland is “not as inclusive as we should be” and that everyone has a role to play in changing this.