Tom Leahy (68), who has won over 50 medals for Ireland in international competitions, revealed he recently visited a restaurant whose accessible toilet could not accommodate a wheelchair.
“The sign in the restaurant is a meaningless token, the people who designed the toilets for the disabled never road-tested them. They never spoke to the likes of me, seeking my insight or experience,” he said.
The Paralympian has written a biography and said he hopes his life story will help future generations to overcome disabilities and to live their very best lives.
Leahy, from Ballyhooly, Co Cork, was hailed by Olympic silver medallist Sonia O’Sullivan as an inspirational figure to all in how he overcame the lack of disability rights in Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s to become an accomplished athlete, artist and now author.
Tom’s story is a reminder that success is never a solo journey
His book, Here For A Reason, was co-written with Munster Technology University (MTU) lecturer Emmett Coffey.
“Tom’s story is a reminder that success is never a solo journey,” O’Sullivan said.
“It is built on courage, family and the belief that we all have a purpose. It is an honest and uplifting story that shows what sport is truly about – resilience and never losing sight of why you started.”
Born in 1957, Leahy had such severe cerebral palsy because of the circumstances of his birth that doctors did not think he would survive.
Despite this, he would go one to become one of Ireland’s most successful Paralympians, winning a total of eight Paralympic medals across boccia and athletics, including three gold medals from the 1984, 1988 and 2000 Games.
Tom Leahy competing at the London Paralympic Games in 2012. Photo: Getty
Leahy also set an Irish record of competing in eight successive Paralympic Games from 1984 to 2012 and is a five-time world record holder. He is also an accomplished artist and his paintings have been the focus of critically acclaimed exhibitions across Ireland.
Speaking at the launch of his book, Leahy said he hoped his life story would inspire others to overcome the obstacles they face.
“When I am faced with obstacles in my life I try to overcome them or go around them. Sometimes I have to try to go right through them,” he said.
“I look back on my life and give thanks to my family and to all of those who helped me achieve so much in my sporting life and who have helped me develop my art and to live a busy life.
“But I prefer to look forward, I have plans and ambitions and things I still want to achieve.
“There’s a heart that keeps beating and there’s my soul that gives me the passion and belief to plough on. There is more to come.”
Leahy said that while Ireland has done much to recognise disability rights since the 1960s, a lot more remains to be done.
I will never stop pointing out the times when my basic human rights are not respected
He said that, even now, disabled people face entirely avoidable problems such as when he visited a restaurant and his wheelchair would not fit into the toilet reserved for disabled users.
In another premises, the door lock on the accessible toilet was broken and he had to ask a friend to stand guard.
“Humiliation is the only word that comes to mind,” he said.
“I seek nothing but the same rights to privacy in public buildings that any able-bodied person takes for granted.
“When those rights are ignored, I suffer a very special kind of humiliation that people like me are all too used to.
“I will never stop pointing out the times when my basic human rights are not respected. I do not look for special treatment.”
Leahy said that when he becomes frustrated by such attitudes across Ireland he tries to remember his late mother and father who inspired him to pursue his dreams and defy all obstacles.
“I think of Mam and what she would say to me. I know she would say to me: ‘Head up, keep going’,” he said.