The challenge of autism

This blog post spreads awareness of the condition known as autism and the behavioural disorder known as Asperger's Syndrome. 

Within the last 25 years, substantial research has been undertaken by behavioural psychologists on autism (Frith, 2003 and Kennan, Kerr and Dillenburger eds., 2000). Authors, such as Mark Haddon (2004) and Patricia Stacey (2003), have also respectively written fiction and memoirs on young people with autism and brought knowledge of the condition to a wider readership.  

Autism is defined by Oxford Dictionaries (2016) as 'a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.' The Pocket Oxford Dictionary's definition is more concise, describing autism as a 'condition characterized by self-absorption and social withdrawal.'

There has also been progress on discovering more about Asperger's Syndrome - 'a developmental disorder related to autism and characterized by awkwardness in social interaction...and preoccupation with very narrow interests' (Oxford Dictionaries, 2016). In addition to social interaction difficulties, the National Autistic Society also notes the other two elements of 'the triad of impairments' - social communication and social imagination.   Asperger's syndrome was named for the Austrian psychiatrist, Hans Asperger, who first identified it in 1944. However, it was not officially recognised for another half century (Autism Initiatives, 2016).  

In contrast to the early 1990s, individuals and families coping with autism are receiving a lot more support from the state whether it be through the education or social services sector. However, more assistance is needed and further British and Irish government as well as Stormont cutbacks will only serve to deprive individuals and families of valuable support mechanisms. Unfortunately, there is also still a lot of ignorance shown to people with learning difficulties by wider society and this must continue to be challenged wherever it is found. 


More information and resources on autism and Asperger's syndrome can be located at the following websites:

http://www.autism.org.uk/ 
http://autism.ie/
http://www.usautism.org/
http://www.autisminitiatives.org/
https://www.mencap.org.uk/
http://www.peatni.org/

References and further reading:

Autism Initiatives, 2016. 'What is Asperger syndrome?' Available at: <http://www.autisminitiatives.org/about-autism/what-is-asperger-syndrome/> [online] (accessed 28 May 2016). 

Frith, U. 2003. 2nd edn. Autism: explaining the enigma. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. 

Haddon, M. 2004. The curious incident of the dog in the night time. London: Vintage Books. 

Kennan, M., Kerr, K. and Dillenburger, K. eds. 2000. Parent's education as autism therapists. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 

Oxford Dictionaries. 2016. 'Asperger's Syndrome'. Available at: <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/asperger%27s-syndrome?q=asperger%27s+syndrome> [online] (accessed 2 May 2016). 

Oxford Dictionaries. 2016. 'Autism'. Available at: <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/autism> [online] (accessed 2 May 2016). 

Stacey, P. 2003. The boy who loved windows: opening the heart and mind of a child threatened by autism. Bognor Regis: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 

Thompson, D. ed. 1992. 8th edn. The pocket Oxford dictionary of current English. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Celebrating 1916 in 2016

My assessment of the Easter Rising centenary commemoration in Dublin and measuring the rebels' success. 

Overall, I have not gone overboard in my celebration of the 1916 Easter Rising. Certainly, I could have gone to a lot of public events and attended many talks and lectures connected to the rebellion. Living in a nationalist town like Newry the opportunity has presented itself constantly. However, I felt that this would have been overkill and unnecessary. Firstly, I do not have the time to devote myself to such a commitment and secondly, I have a significant knowledge of the 1916 Easter Rising already thanks to both my A-level and university studies at the Abbey CBS and Queen's University Belfast, respectively. I have a strong grounding in the causes and consequences of the rising as well as its significance in the World War I context. I have read a variety of academic perspectives and I am satisfied that I have a solid appreciation of the event's importance in Irish history.       

It was due to these reasons that I decided that the most fulfilling way to celebrate this momentous event would be in Dublin at the state's official commemoration ceremony and parade outside the General Post Office, the headquarters of the 1916 revolutionaries - not by participating in the Newry Easter parade and commemoration ceremony at the Republican plot in St Mary's graveyard like most other years. That would not be enough in 2016.

I attended the state ceremony with my brother who was just as determined as myself to witness the event. Even the bitter wind blowing off the Liffey did not dim our spirits as we waited for the ceremony to start. We ended up spending the entire commemoration's duration on the Bachelors Walk boardwalk just off O'Connell Bridge and were able to view the crowds assembled along there as well as the large TV screen erected on D'Olier Street.   

Although the time spent waiting on the Irish Army's individual salutes to the Defence Minister, acting Taoiseach and the President seemed to drag on the rest zoomed by in comparison. The four children (each representing their native province) presenting a bouquet of daffodils each at the foot of the GPO was a nice touch as were the songs played by the army piper. For me, however, the key moments were the reading aloud of the proclamation, the lowering of the national flag to half mast for the one minute's silence as well as its re-hoisting to full mast and the rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann.   

Indeed, it was while singing the national anthem and surveying the crowds on O'Connell Bridge that the thought occurred to me about measuring the success of the 1916 rebels. 

Sure, the rising was a military failure although there is much academic debate about whether there was any intention for it to be a military success at all. It was, however, a symbolic victory in that it represented a starting point for the independence struggle. Undoubtedly the revolutionaries were also aided and abetted by the British government-ordered executions which acted as a great propaganda coup for the republican movement once the public mood turned against the government's draconian response.       

Finally, in contrast to past attempted insurrections (like 1798 and 1848), the 1916 rebellion pulled on the nation's heartstrings. It left an indelible mark on the Irish mindset which was evidenced during the fiftieth anniversary and is apparent now during the centenary year. For me, the rising's success was measurable on Easter Sunday in the hearts and minds of the people, Gael and Gall, who lined O'Connell Street despite the bitter wind, listened intently to the words of the hundred year-old proclamation and belted out Amhrán na bhFiann passionately. Indeed, I am convinced that the descendants of those people will again assemble across O'Connell Street listening with the same intent and singing with identical passion and pride during the 150th and 200th commemorations in 2066 and 2116, respectively, just as their fore-bearers did in 1966 and 2016. That is the real success of the 1916 rebels. 

May 24th-May 31st: My 2nd week living and interning in Washington D.C.

Last week I blogged for the first time about how I got my ACCU internship in Washington D.C. and how I had settled in during my first week. This next post is an update concerning my second week in the United States' capital city. 

Overall, this past week has been a week of firsts, realizations, achievements and challenges.

For example, last Saturday afternoon was the first time I had ever watched the UEFA Champions League final outside Ireland and what a game it was this year. Around the 87th minute mark, a gentleman and his partner walked up out of James Hoban's bar and I heard him remarking 'that it's over'. As we now know they missed four goals and a remarkable comeback from Real Madrid C.F.. Fortunately, I had learned from the 1999 final that it's never over until the referee blows the final whistle.  
Also, before Saturday was at an end, my friend Matthew Berkeley and I, headed over to the Dupont Circle area and walked down Massachusetts Avenue in order to see the embassies and get pictures taken outside the Irish one. On the way back from viewing the embassies, we stepped into a bookstore, had a look round and found a bar attached onto the store. What an invention!

On Sunday, I went to midday mass with Matthew at the majestic Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, a wonderful basilica that is located on the same site as the Catholic University of America (CUA). Later that evening we took in the 2014 Memorial Day concert on the steps of the Capitol building. The concert was hosted by Joe Mantegna ('Fat' Tony from The Simpsons) and Gary Sinise and featured some wonderful singers and a speech by former U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell. It was an awesome event; full of patriotism, pride and remembrance although it also did seem to glorify American military involvement in various parts of the world.

On Memorial Day, Matthew and I were joined for dinner by Orla Gallagher, her roommate, Natalie, and Brighde Mulholland, a fellow Study USA student and friend from back home, who had attended the College of St Benedict's and St John's, Minnesota and was in DC for a few days before returning to Ireland. After work the next day, Orla, Bridghe and I again met up and, after battling monsoon-like conditions, we were successful in getting to Nando's in Chinatown for dinner (another first for me) and then moving on to Fado's Irish bar across the road for a quick beer.

As Memorial Day was on Monday that meant that I had another four-day week again. Although Wednesday and Thursday were usual office days, Tuesday and Friday were quite memorable.

On Tuesday morning, the ACCU President, Dr Michael Galligan-Stierle, presented a PowerPoint presentation on Campus ministry officers and chaplains (I had helped him prepare it) at a conference on the third floor of our building. In attendance were education association presidents of various Christian sects including the Presbyterian Church, the Lutheran Church, the Episcopalian Church, the Baptist Church and the Jesuits. After Michael's presentation I not only got the opportunity to have a catch-up with the Executive Director of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities (APCU), Gary Luhr, the man who had matched me to Warren Wilson College in March 2013, but also have lunch with Michael and the rest of these important US education figures.    

After nearly two weeks interning at the ACCU, I finally got the opportunity to tour the archives at CUA on Friday and I located previous files that had been submitted by the ACCU and its former parent organisation, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in 2005, 2012 and earlier this year. I took note of some of these files and asked the head archivist, John Shepherd, to clarify some matters. John is from Pennsylvania and has an impressive knowledge of not just American historical issues, but also Irish ones too. We talked at length about some Irish historical topics and, while I was going through ACCU files later, his assistant brought me some files relating to Sinn Fein's rise to power in the early twentieth century, the Irish War of Independence, negotiations leading to the July 1921 truce and the Anglo-Irish Treaty. Unsurprisingly, I was delighted and I intend to return to the CUA archives in my spare time to scan through more of these files relating to twentieth century Irish history.

In addition to putting together a lot of information for the new Food Security and Catholic Social Teaching (CST) segment on the Peace and Justice section of the ACCU website during the course of the week, I continued with more archival work and was successful in sorting through a large amount of ACCU records. Nonetheless, I have a long way to go and I will need to ensure that I maximize my time during the next two weeks.

This coming Monday marks the halfway point in my internship and although I have worked hard a lot more remains to be done. More challenges are still there to be overcome and I have realized today what a life experience my time in DC is proving to be. I am traveling to and from work every day in America's capital, paying my way and shopping for myself. Why is this significant? Although I have shopped for myself while at university in Belfast, shopping in D.C. seems different. It is harder to arrange and shops are not located at the 'bottom of the road' or 'around the corner' like they are in Newry or Belfast. For me, I am no longer a 'mummy's boy' but rather a fully fledged adult (at long last some may say!).

Comment below if you wish and please check back next week for my third update!

Le meas,
              John McCaul Jnr      
       


           

Stepping Into The Unknown Again- My first week living and interning in America's capital

At the end of March I emailed Dr Michael Galligan-Stierle, ACCU President, and asked him about the possibility of me interning with his organization. In the email I informed him of my interest in a voluntary intern role and also attached a copy of my resume (CV). He noted his interest in speaking with me and we arranged a time for a phone interview the following week. The interview went well, we agreed the internship dates and I then undertook a range of tasks such as rebooking flight dates and sorting accommodation in D.C. as well as travel to and from the city.

After a day's travel on Monday May 19th, which saw me journey from my girlfriend's hometown in Parrottsville, TN to Charlotte, NC, I finally arrived at my accommodation in the US capital shortly after 6pm. I am staying with friend of mine, who hails from Dublin and currently studies at the Catholic University of America and works for NASA, Matthew Berkeley. Shortly after my arrival in DC I was also reunited with a close friend and ACCU colleague, Orla Gallagher. Orla has a heart of gold and it was she who informed me about the internship opportunity with the ACCU.

So far, my ACCU experience has been first class. During my first week I have been acquainted with my working environment and I have already completed a number of tasks. I authored a letter of recommendation on behalf of the Vice-President for Communications, edited one of Michael's PowerPoints relating to campus mission officers and chaplains and I have taken responsibility for the archiving of the ACCU's historical documents. By the end of my internship some of these files will be destroyed while others will be submitted to CUA archives. Additionally, Alexandra Bradley, the ACCU's member services associate has also tasked me with creating a segment relating to Food Security and Catholic social teaching on the Peace and Justice section of the ACCU website. I am excited by all these challenges and tasks and I look forward to completing them all to a high standard.

Moreover, the staff are wonderful people and it is a pleasure to learn from Michael. In addition to his presidential role with the ACCU, he has full responsibility for ensuring that the ACCU attains its goals and objectives such as advancing Catholic mission and identity within the US higher education sector. Michael is also a fine public speaker, writer and editor.

I feel grateful and I am very fortunate to have this internship position with the ACCU and I look forward to growing and developing even more as a professional within the next few weeks. Please keep an eye out for an update to this article next week.  

Le meas,
              John McCaul Jnr.