New photo exhibition celebrates members of Offaly Down Syndrome Association

To celebrate World Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Offaly Down Syndrome Association has teamed up with Press Photographer of The Year James Crombie to exhibit 46 portraits of their members in the 'ThreeTwentyOne' Photo Exhibition.

These portraits will highlight members from the ages of twelve months old to 54 years of age, and will show that Down Syndrome is not just a syndrome, but one extra chromosome that makes these amazing people the same as everyone else. They wish to show that people with Down Syndrome can benefit from full and effective participation and inclusion in society, and that benefit can be for themselves and also their peers.

The exhibition is currently on show in Tullamore Library until Friday, October 7. It will then visit Birr Library from Tuesday, October 11 until Friday, October 14. It will run as a digital exhibition in Edenderry Library and Clara Library from Tuesday, October 18 until Friday, October 21 and digitally in Banagher Library from Tuesday, October 25 until Friday, October 28. The exhibition will also be displayed in The Tullamore Court Hotel for one week from Tuesday, October 18 and then at The Bridge Centre, Tullamore from Monday, October 24 until Monday, October 31.

Chairman of Offaly Down Syndrome Association, Robbie Donnelly, said: “This is a project that we have been wanting to do for quite some time. We are blessed to have James Crombie, the PPAI Press Photographer of The Year for 2021 and 2022, so it made complete sense to promote our message and our members through a photography exhibition.”

James Crombie added: “It’s about showing the world that a person with Down syndrome is so much more than one extra chromosome. With nurturing, direction and a little bit of empathy, we can all help each and every person with Down syndrome to live an independent life by giving them the opportunity to have a career, a social life and a purpose for living.”

This exhibition has been made possible with funding and support by The Tullamore Court Hotel, The Bridge Centre Tullamore, Comfort Keepers, Inpho Sports Photography, Ace Braces, Cindy Choo Design Studio, Hand Imaging, Tullamore Credit Union, Offaly County Council, Hugo Loonam Motors, K Buggy Coaches, and Jeff Harvey at Stone Wall Studios, as well as the two main sponsors, Laois Offaly Education Training Board and Glenisk.

Managing Director of Glenisk, Vincent Cleary said: “We are very happy to support Offaly Down Syndrome Association. Community is at the core of who we are at Glenisk and Offaly Down Syndrome Association are a community of people, on a similar journey, offering practical help and support. I am very excited for the unveiling of the “Three Twenty One” exhibition and congratulate those involved in bringing it to fruition in celebration of World Down Syndrome Awareness Month.”

Patricia Wallis from the Laois Offaly Education Training Board added: “The involvement of LOETB’s Local Creative Youth Partnership is based on the work we do with children and young people across Laois and Offaly, to increase participation and engagement in creative opportunities within the non-formal education sector.”

Offaly Down Syndrome Association is a branch of Down Syndrome Ireland which advocates for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of individuals with Down Syndrome. They are dedicated to being the primary source of information and support to people with Down syndrome, their families and the professional community, working towards an improved quality of life for their members.