Speech at Opening of Exhibition “Making the Invisible Visible: Creative Arts for Brain Injury Advocacy”
Greenacres Art Gallery, Wexford Town, 19 March 2026
A chairde, mar Uachtarán na hÉireann, it is an honour to be with you all today here in Wexford to officially launch this exhibition “Making the Invisible, Visible: Creative Arts for Brain Injury Advocacy.” May I thank Dr. Karen Foley, Chief Executive of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, for the invitation to join you today at this special occasion.
Is mór an onóir dom a bheith i bhur gcomhluadar i ngailearaí Green Acres, anseo i mbaile Loch Garman, don taispeántas spreagúil atá curtha romhainn agaibh le cúnamh Acquired Brain Injury Ireland.
Is ó bhur dtaithí phearsanta féin le gortú inchinne a d’eascair an méid atá le mothú, le feiceáil agus le cloisteáil againn anseo inniu.
Tréaslaím libh ar fad a bhí páirteach sa togra bliana seo agus le Sheila Burton a chur bhur saothar ealaíne in eagar daoibh. Is léargas fíor-thábhachtach, machnamhach agus cumhachtach atá curtha os ár gcomhair agaibh.
This exhibition is the culmination of a year-long process of collaboration with you the artists, a number of organisations, including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Brain Injury Matters Northern Ireland, and Headway Ireland, and of course, the arts facilitators.
As well as making the “invisible” impacts of acquired brain injury visible and promoting advocacy, the participants here today shine a light on the resilience of survivors of a traumatic injury. The creative mediums that you have chosen for your art are as varied as your own experiences of injury and recovery – visual art, storytelling through weaving, music, origami, clay, mosaics, poetry, pottery, and photography.
All of the artworks tell a powerful story. I was particularly drawn to “Sensing Together”, an artwork created through the contribution of many individual pieces, with each artist designing their own element. When these pieces are brought together, they form one collective artwork that reflects both the individual and shared experience of life with a brain injury.
The spiral at the centre of the mosaic serves to remind us of the many pathways to recovery, indeed that recovery is rarely in a straight line, or even in one direction.
This artwork highlights our wonderful senses, through which we perceive and interact with the world, through sight, touch, sound and smell. When brain injury affects one sense, the brain does something remarkable – it adapts. The other senses step in, compensate and, over time, can restore much of what was lost.
Rehabilitation supports that process of adaptation. It enables and empowers people to rebuild their lives, regain independence and live to their full potential.
This exhibition provides a vital space for survivors’ voices to be heard, and for misconceptions surrounding brain injury to be challenged. Indeed, awareness of the lived experience is low, despite 19,000 people acquiring brain injuries every year in Ireland.
The theme of today - “Making the Invisible, Visible” – is powerful. This exhibition elevates your voices as survivors in a deeply authentic way. It draws attention to the challenges faced by you as individuals, your families, friends and loved ones after a traumatic life-changing event. But it does a lot more than that. I see your exhibition both as a cause for reflection and a call to action. It invites us to look at what we are not seeing, on what is invisible in our lives. Through your art, and through art generally, we are confronted with perspectives we may never have looked at before, things we may have overlooked, ignored or unconsciously looked away from.
Moreover, your art challenges all of us to really value our senses, and to reconnect with what they are telling us about the world around us. If we are to build a sustainable future, this is essential, now more than ever.
I want to take this opportunity to commend all the staff and volunteers of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland for their work. You have helped so many people with a traumatic brain injury to adapt and live their lives.
Gabhaim buíochas ó chroí libh arís as an méid atá roinnte agaibh linn mar is ó thaispeántais mar seo a thiocfaidh díospóireacht níos oscailte agus níos tuisciní faoi réaltacht an tsaoil daoibhse atá ag maireachtáil le gortú inchinne.
May I conclude by offering my best wishes to all of the artists exhibiting their work today, and to their families, as you continue on your rehabilitation journey.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh.