This year, Ms O’Callaghan helped the CDA to improve deaf-awareness training across the public service, including HSE, Tusla, Revenue, Cork City and County Councils, UCC, and soon with An Garda Síochána.

Mr Boyle was visiting the charity’s Ballinlough premises to mark the 40th anniversary of the first time its founder, Fr Bill Clarke, began to work with members of Cork’s deaf community.

National charity for deaf and hard of hearing people, Chime, said there are over 5,000 deaf and hard of hearing students in the Irish education system.

Blackrock Castle and Observatory was lit-up in blue to symbolise deaf awareness.