Conversations About Activism and Change

Conversations About Activism and Change: Independent Living Movement Ireland and Thirty Years of Disability Rights

Disabled people are all too familiar with fighting to be included in society, but they also do not face their battle in isolation. We all know that real social change can only be brought about when people work together as a collective. But when we scratch beneath the surface, what does that mean? What are the ingredients of a strong disability movement?Conversations about Activism and Change offers a collection of personal insights into the development of the Independent Living Movement in Ireland, to celebrate the organisation’s thirty years in existence.


Too often the lives and experiences of disabled people are portrayed by those deemed qualified to speak on their behalf. This book captures the voices of disabled activists themselves, and through their stories the triumphs and learning achieved through building the Irish disability movement come to the fore. Not only are these stories snapshots of the past, they can also provide a roadmap for disabled activists seeking guidance in continuing their activism journey into the future.

Eleven key activists from ILMI’s history, with different backgrounds and experiences, were asked to consider their role in building a disability movement. Although each story in this collection can be read as a standalone piece, there are a couple of common threads that can be pulled together, creating a people’s history of the Independent Living Movement in Ireland.

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