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Wicklow Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

The Wicklow branch of Down Syndrome Ireland was set up in March 2004 by parents of children and adults with Down syndrome. We provide parents and families with information regarding services and supports for people with Down syndrome and their families and keep them informed of key developments in this area.

We also organise a range of activities and events for our members throughout the year and strive to constantly raise the profile of people with Down syndrome in Wicklow. Our regular activities include the weekly WOW club for our junior members, and information talks and seminars for parents and older members.

We host regular coffee mornings for members that provide an opportunity for an informal chat and exchange of ideas. Social evenings for the parents and adults with Down syndrome are also organised.

The Wow Club

The Wow Club is for our younger members (age 3 upwards) and takes place every Saturday morning and usually consists of activities such as yoga and dance. The Club is at present split into two separate sessions to suit the different ages of the children taking part.

Wexford Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

The Wexford branch of Down Syndrome Ireland was first established in 1978. We currently have a membership of about 60 families. We welcome new members of all ages living in County Wexford.   We have an active preschoolers group (321Tots) and organise events and activities for other age groups.  We launched LatchOn in October 2019 and 10 members graduated in May 2021.  WWETB will be taking over the running of this course from Septmeber 2022, and we are delighted that we were able to bring a great third level course to Wexford.  Through branch fundraising we help members access therapies (eg SLT, OT), therapeutic activities (eg swimming, horseriding) and respite.  And everyone loves the kids’ Christmas Party and adults’ Festive Night Out each year. 

Activities

Kilkenny Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

Down Syndrome Ireland’s Waterford/South Kilkenny branch is a support group for families of and people with Down Syndrome in Waterford and South Kilkenny. We work to help people with Down Syndrome reach their full potential by providing information and support to them, their families, carers and professionals.

To achieve our aim, we have a three-pronged approach: activities for members, Family Support Network and raising awareness of Down syndrome among professionals and the public.

Tipperary Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

Down Syndrome Ireland’s Tipperary branch is made up of parents and family members working together to ensure all our members with Down syndrome can reach their full potential. Membership of our branch is renewed annually. We are an elected committee of four: Branch Chairperson, Branch Treasurer, Grants Administrator and Secretary/Coordinator of Services. We have elected members who attend national council meetings on behalf of our branch.

We also have a coordinator of speech and language, a tutor service and a social events coordinator. Sub committees occasionally are formed with the approval of branch committee and members.

Geographically we cover north and south Tipperary.

Additional Branch Services

Education and Therapy

Life Skills and Social Groups

Sligo Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

The Sligo branch of Down Syndrome Ireland is a group of roughly 60 members of all ages and their families. Our Committee is comprised of parents, siblings and carers/guardians of people with Down syndrome as well as other skilled volunteers who have an interest in supporting our work.

We run various social events for our members to meet up and for family members to share information and gain support. Parents/Guardians meet regularly in coffee shops and we hold quarterly meet ups for our younger members in a local play centre. We offer weekly online yoga classes run by an OT, weekly dance, drama and music classes and our adults meet up at a monthly pool club in the Embassy or at our library clubs in Tubbercurry and Sligo town.

Each summer we offer our members subsidised places in mainstream activities such as surf camps in Strandhill. Over the years, we have run additional activities including yoga, art, photography, drama, drumming, computing, baby & toddler events and many types of sports activities.

We liaise with other local branches of Down Syndrome Ireland and relevant agencies such as Sligo Sports & Recreation Partnership, Sligo libraries, the HSE/CDNT, community groups, sports club, schools, the ETB, RehabCare, Sligo ATU, Sligo LEADER, NLN etc.  We also regularly host staff from Down Syndrome Ireland who run workshops on the topics of Education, Employment and See & Learn training etc. We run regular public fundraisers and occasionally avail of small grants.

Roscommon Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

We are the Roscommon branch of Down Syndrome Ireland, we act as a support and information hub for families in County Roscommon. Our fundraising activities include Bag Packing, Church Gate Collections, Women’s Mini Marathon and an annual Black Tie Ball celebrating Nollaig na mBán for women only.

Education and Therapy

Sports and Fitness

Offaly Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

The Offaly branch of Down Syndrome Ireland, also known as Offaly Down Syndrome Association, is a community focused group established since 1984. 

Our branch provides numerous services to our members including speech and language therapy, art therapy, dance therapy, and swimming lessons as well as our recently launched cookery classes for our younger members and a photography course for our adult members. 

Once a month we go bowling in Tullamore and we host regular family fun days throughout the year for our younger members as well as parent night’s outs and discos for our teen and adult members. 

Being part of the Offaly Down syndrome branch really is like being part of a great big family.  Our branch is going from strength to strength and the future looks bright for all our members. For this, we have to thank the huge generosity of the people of Offaly who have consistently supported our branch for almost forty years and hopefully will continue to do so into the future. 

Activities

Monaghan Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

The Monaghan branch of Down Syndrome Ireland was set up by a group of parents to support people with Down syndrome and their families in the Monaghan area. 

Mayo Branch

Archives: DSI Branches

The Mayo branch of Down Syndrome Ireland was created in 1975 by parents of children with Down syndrome to create independence and inclusion of their children. As of May 2021 we have over 135 active members with our office being based in Castlebar. 

Activities

Services

Ongoing Activities & Programmes

Activities/Events We Offer

Regularly our office is used by our members for activities, seminars and education. 

Over the last year, a sample of the classes that our members took part in include: drama, fitness, personal development course, cooking, swimming, art and movement, cycling, drumming, music sessions for the toddler group. 

We offer our members subsidies towards the cost of a wide range of private therapies which can include speech therapy, physical therapy, play therapy, counselling. 

Our social events are the summer outing and the Christmas party which caters to all age groups. 

The highlight over the last year was the Art and Movement Group who hosted their very own Art Exhibition, an event which was covered by local newspapers and radio stations; leading it to be a huge success.  

Our adult Drama Group also planned and put together a Fashion Show. There was a full house on the night with everybody agreeing that it was an absolutely resounding success. Alongside the Fashion Show, the Drama group also had their very own Drama Production at Christmas which was also packed to capacity. 

Education and Talks

We provide training for parents/guardians, SNA’s and teacher’s who work alongside our members. The courses that we offer include: Lamh, Numicon and the See and Learn course. The See and Learn training is carried out by the Early Intervention Specialist for Down Syndrome Ireland, Silvia Segales-Angel. 

For families we have offered seminars such as Bereavement and Loss, Sibling Workshops, See and Learn, Special Olympics and we hope to soon have seminars about Wills and Trusts, Behaviour and Sleeping, Transitioning to Secondary school and lots more.