Board
- John R. McFarlane (Chair)
- Paula Lahiff (Deputy Chair)
- Hugh Conlon (Company Secretary)
- Clara Dunnne (Treasurer)
- Joan Bradley
- Ann Burns
- Jim Costello
- Hugh Hamilton
- Bridie Mc Mahon
- Séamus Ó Cinnéide
- Evelyn Wainwright
Joan Bradley
Joan now lives in Dublin city centre. She is a native of Laois and a polio
survivor who contracted the virus at the age of four years. She spent
some time in Harcourt Childrens' and Dr. Steevens' Hospitals. She attained
high standard of physical ability not alone due to determination on her
part but also drawing on the dedication of her mother and the acceptance
by the rest of the family of her disability.
She started school at nine years of age and went on to qualify as a radiographer and worked in this field for some years. This proved too strenuous as she experienced the onset of the late effects of polio and she worked for many years as a receptionist/telephonist. She has coped with a growing loss of ability over a number of years and had to take early retirement.
Joan is very well known to all the members in whom she takes a personal caring interest and provides a contact service for them outside office hours. She chairs the Allocation Committee for the Group. She represents the Group at many disability fora and is a Disability Federation of Ireland representative not alone for the Post Polio Support Group but also on behalf of other groups.
She swims, enjoys reading, creative writing and the study of nature. She may be contacted through our office or by E-mail: amjbradley@eircom.net
Anne Burns
Anne is a native of Drogheda now living in Dublin. She has been a Board member
of the Post Polio Support Group since 2003. She is a polio survivor who contracted
the virus at the age of 17 months. Anne spent some time in both Cappagh and Baldoyle
Hospitals and, following several operations, made a good recovery. The support
of her family and their dedication to her living an independent life were key
to her recovery. Anne joined the Civil Service and, working in a number of different
Government Departments, had a successful career over many years.
She loves music and is an accomplished singer in the choral tradition and has taken part in a number of significant productions by the Tallaght Music Society. Anne enjoys music, reading and has a particular interest in nature. Anne began to experience muscle pain and weakness in early 2000 and has suffered from fatigue for many years. This brought her career to an early conclusion but has freed her to undertake more voluntary work for the Post Polio Support Group. Anne has particular interest in the social support element of the work and chairs the Social Support Committee. She is also a very committed fundraiser and puts great effort into the mini marathons, particularly in Dublin. She can be contacted through the office or by E-mail: info@ppsg.ie
Hugh Conlon
Hugh was born in Westmeath in 1943. He contracted Polio at the age of 11 months.
Though initially paralysed in all four limbs, he regained full use of both arms
and about 50% use of one leg. He later underwent surgery to both ankles and a
fusion of the knee which proved to be very successful. For the next 30 years
he enjoyed exceptionally good health.
Hugh studied architecture in UCD and joined the Office of Public Works as an Architect in 1971. He worked on many different projects. Hugh has always been keen to increase accessibility for those with disabilities and obtained a Certificate in Universal Accessibility Auditing from the University of Ulster. In 1993 he began to notice deterioration in his strength and stamina. When he fell, he found it increasingly difficult to get up again. Having heard about Post Polio Syndrome, he consulted a neurologist who, following extensive tests, confirmed the diagnosis. He retired from the OPW in March 2004. There has been further gradual deterioration but he still maintains an active life.
Hugh is interested in all aspects of cars, motoring and motor sport. He is a director of Galway Motor Club and, for the past twelve years, has been Chief Timekeeper for the Club’s events – including the Galway International Rally. His other interests include photography and he admits to two addictions, TV and crosswords. Hugh chairs the Governance and Nominations Committee. He can be contacted through our office or by E-mail at hcon@eircom.net
Jim Costello
Jim
Costello a native of Dublin contracted acute respiratory poliomyelitis
in 1958 at the age of 15 while in secondary school. He is paralysed in
the upper body, wears a spinal brace, has no use of his arms and has severe
breathing restriction. As a youth he spent three years in Hospital, beginning
in Cherry Orchard Hospital, Dublin, and then in the Nuffield Orthopaedic
Centre, Oxford, England. On his return to Ireland he spent a number of
years attending the Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin, receiving rehabilitation
treatment. He worked in the family retail clothing business for ten years
and, after its closure in the early 1970s, he worked privately in a number
of business ventures. In the late Eighties, he decided to retire from business
for health reasons, mainly due to numerous bouts of respiratory infection.
Presently, Jim lives at home mainly at the weekends where he is looked after by his partner Delia. For the rest of the week, he lives in Cherry Orchard Hospital, Dublin. He is the only Irish user of an "Iron Lung Ventilator". Jim requires a medical ventilator up to 16 hours daily, mainly at night. When he is at home or travelling, he uses an NIV (Non Invasive Ventilation) ventilator with a nose fitting. He walks well and wears a "Milwaukee brace" to support his spine. His work, leading the Group over many years, has involved planning, negotiating promoting the situation of Polio Survivors and attending meetings, supported by his computer which he operates using 'voice control' .
Jim's interests, when he gets the time, are mainly Rugby and Racing, but he is also interested in most other sports. In 2001 the International Year of Volunteers, Jim was honoured to receive an award in the category 'Volunteering Impact' from Volunteering Ireland, in recognition of his contribution and commitment to his work for the Post Polio Support Group. Jim can be contacted through our office, or by E-mail address: info@ppsg.ie or through his personal E-mail Address: jjcos@indigo.ie
Clara Dunne
Clara lives in Clontarf in Dublin. Her interest in the Group stems from a wish to be involved in an organisation which provides support to people to allow them to continue to live as independently as possible. She has not had personal or family contact with polio but is becoming aware of the effects of Post Polio Syndrome.
Clara Dunne has extensive experience in the world of finance and banking. She joined French bank, CACEIS Investor Services, as Country Manager for Ireland in 2001. Previously, she spent five years as Managing Director of Mellon Fund Administration and, prior to that, held positions with Bankers Trust and the Deutsche Bank group in Dublin’s International Financial Services Centre. She trained as an accountant with Irish Life and holds a master’s degree in Finance from Dublin City University. She was elected to the Council of the Irish Funds Industry Association in 2007 having played an active part in the Association’s activities for a number of years.
Clara is an avid armchair sports fan and enjoys attending sporting events, particularly rugby. She is a fledgling golfer. She also enjoys travel and has had the opportunity to visit the Middle East, Australia, South East Asia, India and most recently, Argentina.
Clara can be contacted through the office by E-mail: info@ppsg.ieHugh Hamilton
Hugh
lives in south county Dublin. He worked as an Estate Agent in Dublin for
45 years, until he retired in 1999. He is married and has four children
and a proud grandad to his many grandchildren. He contracted Polio in
1942 when he was five and was fortunate to make a seemingly complete recovery.
In recent years Hugh has been affected by the Late Effects of Polio despite
not having had ongoing paralysis. He has weakness in one leg and is prone
to falling, like many other survivors.
Hugh joined the Post Polio Support Group in 1999 and was elected to the Board in 2000. Hugh has taken an active interest in the financing of the Group and has brought his talents to the fore by fundraising to provide member supports and services. Fundraising has now, as a result, become an important part of the overall income of the Group. Hugh has been elected Deputy Chair of the European Polio Union.
Hugh's main interests are travel and sport. He is particularly interested in Cricket, Rugby and Horse Racing. He may be contacted through our office or by E-mail: hamsalem@eircom.net
Paula Lahiff
Paula got polio at 8 months of age and was one of the first patients at
the Central Remedial Clinic, when it was situated in Pembroke Street in
Dublin. After lots of corrective surgery and physiotherapy, she became
an Occupational Therapist and worked in the psychiatric field in Dublin,
Paris and Castlebar.
Paula has promoted and delivered on a number of projects such as “Polio and us” and the Memorial Book which preserve and present valuable parts of the polio story. She retired as the Editor of THE SURVIVOR after many years. She represents the Group in dealings with the HSE in the North West. It is a busy and a challenging life, but she loves it.
Paula lives on the shores of Lough Gill with her husband Dermot. She has four children who are in their twenties and all getting on well in life. She works part time at present and has completed a course at Sligo IT in Advocacy studies. She hopes to use the new skills she has learned to help those with disabilities, particularly Polio Survivors. She loves swimming and indulging in her favorite pastime of creative writing, and has been published both on national radio and local media. Since she got her wheelchair she enjoys accompanying Dermot on country strolls (or maybe rolls) through the beautiful Sligo highways and byways. Paula can be contacted through our office or by E-mail: paulalahiff@gmail.com.
Paula Lahiff's former surname is Daly.
John McFarlane
John contracted paralytic polio at the age of 18 months in 1949 whilst
living in Barnes, London with his parents. He was almost entirely paralysed
and spent the best part of 3 years in St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey where
he contracted just about every childhood disease there is. The polio left
him with total paralysis of his legs and lower trunk together with restrictions
on his right arm that meant he had to use crutches and callipers, and a
wheelchair on occasions.
John worked in the insurance department of Unilever qualifying as a Marine Surveyor and Naval Architect. He then worked for Cunard on the QE 2 before joining British Steel where he became Director Commercial Services, a position taking him all over the world. In the ‘80s he left BSC to pursue abiding interests in the development of assistive devices and technologies for people with disabilities.
In 1969 he met and later married Mary and in 1997 they returned to her home county of Offaly where they have a purpose built home. John’s condition has worsened considerably over the past 10 years to the point where he is now fully wheelchair dependent but that has not stopped him from travelling extensively both for work and pleasure. John intends to stay involved in disability matters both in the national and international arena for as long as possible or as he puts it “as long as they will have me”.
John has always been an avid writer for magazines on disability issues and products even becoming the motoring correspondent for the UK based social services publication “Caring Today”. In the late ‘80s he worked for the European Commission investigating the conditions under which people with disabilities lived in the member states. He wrote a series of reports and books gaining a Fellowship at the University of Birmingham and making him an obvious choice to edit Polio - The Late Effects Reality. John has taken on editorship of the SURVIVOR. He may be contacted through our office or by E-mail address: newsletter@ppsg.ie or through his personal E-mail Address: jmcfarlane1@iolfree.ie.
John Mc Farlane is a United Kingdom national.
Bridie Mc Mahon
Bridie is a native of Claremorris, Co. Mayo. She contracted polio in the fifties and spent four years in hospital between Cappagh in Finglas and St. Mary’s in Baldoyle, Co. Dublin.
She is an active and enthusiastic member of the Group working locally and nationally before joining the Board in 2008. She is a fluent Irish speaker and has contributed to Radio na Gaeltachta and TG4 on post polio matters.
Bridie has been a community leader and activist all her life. She graduated from NUI Maynooth following studies in Adult and Community Education and Rural and Community Development. She has worked in a number of different roles throughout her career, both commercial and community based, but always with a person centred role. Bridie now works part-time in community development at Mayo Abbey near her home. She continues her voluntary activities in her own parish.
She is married with three grown up family, one daughter married in New York and she is a proud grandmother. She has many interests including local history and heritage, reading and creative writing, community arts including set-dancing, wildlife and fishing with Seamus her husband on the lakes of Mayo. She can be contacted through the office or by e mail: sbmcmahon70@gmail.com
Séamus Ó Cinnéide
Séamus is a native of Glenties, Co Donegal and now lives in Rathmines
with his wife and daughters. He is a Professor of Social Policy in the
National University of Ireland, Maynooth. As a child he was a polio patient
in St Mary’s Hospital, Cappagh and in Baldoyle.
He was the founder Chairman of CARE Campaign for the Care of Deprived Children. He is recognised as an expert in the social policy area and has assisted Government as a member of the Task Force on Child Care Services (1974-’79) and of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities (1993-’97). He maintains his interest in the Arts and was a member of the Arts Council (2000-2004).
He is at present a member of the Senate of the National University of Ireland and the Chairman of Arts and Disability Ireland. He joined the Group in 1997, and has been a member of the Funds Allocations Committee since it started in 2002. He was elected to the Board in 2006. He may be contacted through our office or by E-mail: info@ppsg.ie
Evelyn Wainwright
Evelyn joined the Board in early 2007 but she was no stranger to the Group.
She became a member right from the start and has been a mainstay of the
Post Polio Support Group particularly in Cork and the south of the country
generally. In recent years she has taken more of a national role, building
on her work as regional representative and convenor of the social support
group which meets in the Vienna Woods Hotel in Glanmire in Cork. She is
a member of the Fundraising Committee.
Evelyn contracted polio in 1949 spending time in Cappagh and Baldoyle hospitals and having a number of operations before she was 15. She worked for a number of years before marrying her husband Terry. Despite bringing up two daughters Evelyn has worked most of her married life and is currently working with the L’Arche Community in Cork; a job that gives her great satisfaction. She also is a very proud grandmother of two. Evelyn receives great support from Terry, her family and friends to live a very active life. She is a great shopper and finds that the scooter has given her a new lease of life since a fall in 1999 meant she needed the support of two sticks. And, as she says herself. "....life is good, Thank God" She can be contacted at evelyn99911@hotmail.com or 021 4847313.
Evelyn Wainwright's former surname is Hurley.
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