Cork women mark 10 years of friendship and holiday club for adults with special needs

IT was the first big get-together since the Covid restrictions were lifted. There was joy, relief, gratitude, and even a few tears when 50 members of the Munster Great Escapes Arch Club came together recently to celebrate its tenth birthday.

Two indomitable women, Hillary O’Donoghue, from the Blarney area, and Caitriona Campbell, from East Cork, set up the club in 2012 in response to the pressing need for a friendship and holiday club for adults with special needs.

Between them, they have 62 years’ experience working in the disability area.

The disability-friendly Clonakilty Park Hotel was the venue for the club’s weekend away tenth anniversary celebrations.

“This is the first time really that everyone is together since the Covid restrictions were lifted,” said Club Secretary Hillary.

“The weekend was fantastic and everyone had a ball. The staff gave the members a great welcome. It’s like home from home for them.”

The anxiety caused by the Covid-19 pandemic had a traumatic effect on many of the club members, who lived in a state of almost constant dread and social isolation over a two year period.

Some had regressed and others struggled to regain their social skills. Thanks to the unobtrusive support provided by Caitriona and Hillary, backed up by the team of volunteers and hotel staff, many members were starting to come back to their old selves by the time the weekend was over.

Gretta O’Connell, from Rochestown in Cork, has been a volunteer with the Club for the past ten years. She comes along to support her 35- year-old son, Patrick, who has mobility issues.

“When Patrick comes along to club get-togethers, he’s like a changed person, he absolutely loves it.

“Caitriona and Hillary leave all the members have their independence. This is after opening up a whole new world for him again after Covid,” said Gretta.

“Covid destroyed Patrick. He was back on his vocabulary and he was actually terrified of the whole thing. Every new advertisement for Covid terrified him more. 

"The anxiety created a whole lot of stomach problems for him as well as pains in his back. It was a very difficult time for me too as a result,” she said.

Another volunteer, Eileen O’Connor from Farnanes, got to know Gretta through her son, Tim, who is a great friend of Gretta’s son, Patrick.

“During the Covid pandemic, Tim used to get choking spasms caused by anxiety. I never want to go through that horrific time again. It’s only now with the Munster Great Escapes Club that he’s coming back to himself,” said Eileen.

When I last met the group in January, 2020, they were excitedly planning a trip to Portugal that May and another to Spain in October and a Christmas party in Clonakilty.

Some of the most difficult phone calls Hillary and Caitriona ever had to make involved ringing families and members to tell them that all plans were cancelled due to Covid restrictions.

“Covid was a horrendous time. People have regressed, got older and less fit because they weren’t moving around,” said Hillary.

Club Chairperson, Caitriona Campbell acknowledges that it took enormous work to get the Club up and running again after Covid.

“We had to recruit more volunteers who need to be trained and who need Garda vetting,” said Caitriona.

“The cost of everything is going up and it would be wonderful if we could get funding from the HSE or from companies or firms who would do fundraisers for us,” said Caitriona.

“If we were getting formal funding, we know people in the community who would love a holiday but can’t afford it,” she added.

Among the members at the recent weekend away was Sarah Lynch, from Gardiner’s Hill in Cork. Although she found the pandemic tough, her mum, Marian, was always on hand to help her out.

“I had classes online on Zoom, but sometimes, instead of classes, we just chatted to our friends online.

“This hotel is great. Whatever we need, they are there for us”, says Sarah.

Shane Allen loves the socialising involved in weekends away.

“I love the disco and I might sing a song at the party. These get-togethers are so important and the staff here are really kind,” said Shane.

Another man called Pat told me that he lives independently in an apartment in Bandon. A home help assists him with his clothes and other everyday matters.

“Being isolated during Covid worried me. I was meeting no-one and I felt I wasn’t right at all.

“I’m delighted to be back out again and I have plenty of help with Caitriona and Hillary. Weekends like this take my mind off everything,” said Pat.

“I love the Club, it’s great craic,” added Pat’s friend, Martin.

Following every get-together, Hillary and Caitriona, are always inundated with requests from families and friends of people who would love to join up.

“The numbers we can bring on holidays depends on the number of volunteers we have. We’re always looking for volunteers with creativity and a no embarrassment gene,” laughed Hillary.

“We need people who have a passion for this disability area, and if they have a bit of training with medications, that would be great”, she adds.

Anyone interested in finding out more can contact Caitriona Campbell on 086 3565539 or Hillary O’Donoghue on 087 6283837 or you can email: munstergreatescapes@gmail.com