[Image: A graphic for the Disability Participation “Spotlight Series”. At the top, the title “Spotlight Series” is styled using colourful cut-out magazine letters against a black background, with flowers, a newspaper butterfly, and the Disability Participation News Hub logo. White text reads: “This month we are chatting with... Christine O’Mahony.” The lower half of the graphic features a circular photo of Christine sitting on grass in front of large rainbow-coloured “PRIDE” letters at Athlone Summer Pride event. Surrounding the photo are logos for Longford-Westmeath Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Mullingar 4 All, Heartlands Pride, and the Disability Participation News Hub, alongside a Disability Pride flag and a megaphone illustration. The background is a dark, sparkling gradient rainbow effect.]
💡 Spotlight Series: Christine O’Mahony
We are on a mission to get to know and highlight Ireland’s activists, advocates and allies!
Each month, we aim the spotlight on incredible changemakers working to advance the human rights of disabled people across Ireland.
We are delighted to share our latest Spotlight Series Edition where we are chatting with Christine O’Mahony (she/her) — a dedicated and formidable activist who is making change happen here in the Midlands.
A reminder that you can listen to this edition through the Substack app, or by opening this edition on your browser.
Become a paid subscriber to have early access to our Spotlight Series each month by using the Subscribe button below.
Enjoy this edition and we will be in touch soon! ✨
Q. Hey Christine! Tell us a little about yourself.
Christine: My name is Christine O’Mahony, I have ADHD, I am an activist, Black & Irish (Jamaican/Irish) who is also part of the LGBT+ Community. I have a background in law and currently work as a journalist (both paper and radio), clinical legal support officer, and will be pursuing a PHD in Sociology in September. I have set up my own non-profit, Mullingar 4 All CLG, with aims to integrate migrants in the Mullingar and surrounds area. I also volunteer as a director with the Disability Participation News Hub and I am the Chairperson of Heartlands Pride Athlone and Longford-Westmeath Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
I have won awards for my activism, most notably the LGBT+ GALA Awards for young trailblazer 2023 and in 2026 The Campaign and Activism Award from Longford Volunteer Centre.
I have raised close to €8000-10,000 for Palestine causes, and in 2026 along with my team, we organised the historic 1st Pride Parade in Athlone.
Q. You wear many hats when it comes to advocacy, what keeps you motivated to do the work you do.
Christine: A lot of my activism is centred around my personal experience – like being disabled, being lgbt, being a person of colour etc. I know I would not like somebody giving up on me, so this is what motivates me in my activism as a lot of the groups I represent are vulnerable and need the support. When we get great results e.g., organising cooking for the residents in the Direct Provision centre as they don’t have access to their own cooking facilities, its the smile on their faces that let me know I must continue.
Q. You and your team at Heartlands Pride recently organised Athlone’s first Summer Pride, congratulations! Tell us all about it and why this was important for the Midlands.
Christine: Pride Parade has always been a protest, to show people that we are here, we are queer and we are not going away. Coming out in rural Ireland is a scary experience, you do not get the warm welcome that folks receive in Dublin. In fact many LGBT+ Athlone people have moved away from Athlone citing that Athlone was a cold house to them and their LGBT+ identity and that Dublin was the place to go. This is why this Pride Parade in Athlone was so important for the visibility and to show young people that they don’t need to run away, there is a community here for them. This parade was also in memory of the late Michael Woods, a trailblazer who passed way in 2023. He attempted to put on a Pride Parade in 2020/2021 – but as we know the Covid19 pandemic meant that nobody could march or leave their houses.
Q. Do you have any projects or priorities for the year ahead that you’re looking forward to?
Christine: I am excited to get stuck in to transforming Mullingar 4 All into the non-profit of my dreams, as well as already planning for Heartlands Pride 2027!
While it is academic I am excited to start working on my PHD as it focuses on activist groups in Ireland and Palestinian solidarity.
Q. Is there any topic or issue you would like to highlight or draw attention to, or any change you’d like to see this year?
Christine: More information on the Neurodivergent umbrella group, especially ADHD. This Disability Pride Month I will be spreading more awareness on ADHD as people minimise this disability and think it is quirky, when there is so much more to this disability that people don’t realise.
Q. When you are not organising and advocating, what’s your favourite way to look after yourself and unwind?
Christine: TV, swimming, sauna sessions, and yoga.
Q. Anything people might be surprised to learn about you?
Christine: I got invited to the Áras once!
Q. Any book recommendations for our online Book Club this year?
Christine: I must admit I am not a big reader but I am excited to get my hands on “Queer Recovery Capital” edited by Dr David Patton and Dr Adam Brett – which has a chapter written by a friend, Ciaran Hanniffy. It is about LGBT+ people suffering from addiction and how they recover from it.
Q. Do you have a favourite quote or saying that inspires you?
Christine: This is a quote from a reggae song called “Keep it real” by Peter Hunnigale and Lukie D - “Ain’t no use in stressing out your brain, I hear you say “never again”, but keep it real and you will find a way, another way, another way”.
Q. Where can people find you if they’d like to follow your work?
@Simplicity_is_the_key15 – personal instagram
@Heartlandspride_athlone – Instagram page
@Mullingar4All – Instagram page
Heartlands pride substack: https://substack.com/@heartlandsprideathlone/posts
Catch us back here next month with another Spotlight edition!
In the meantime…
📬 Sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter every Wednesday.
🌱 Donate here or become a paid subscriber to support our work.
☕ Buy us a Coffee here.
🤝 Become an Access Ally here.
The Disability Participation News Hub CLG is a disabled-led not for profit organisation.