About Us
Brief History
The Irish Hard of Hearing Association was formed by a small group of people, who first met when attending a lip reading class in Newtownpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock, Co Dublin, in the mid 1980′s. Encouraged by the teacher, Joan Buckley, the class began to meet regularly outside class at St Joseph’s Nursing Home for Deaf & Blind People in Leopardstown, South County Dublin.
This group was passionate about improving the lives of people with an acquired hearing loss. As a group it was felt that a lot could be done to improve things by campaigning for greater awareness, accommodation and rights and at the same time encouraging people with hearing loss to engage more actively in social activities.
The IHHA came into being in 1986 with Ken Edwards as our first President
Mission Statement
The IHHA is an association of people who acquired a hearing loss after the acquisition of speech and language. We are a small charitable and voluntary organisation.
Broadly speaking, we have three aims:
1. We wish to create greater awareness of hearing loss and its impact on people’s lives (sufferers, spouse/family and friends/colleagues). Much damage can be done accidentally by exposure to noise. This can be avoided in many cases.
2. We want to see greater access to services for people with a hearing loss. We actively lobby for subtitles and hearing loops to mention but two. We work with other disability bodies and aim to develop good relationships with service providers encouraging them to go beyond the legislative requirements.
3. We seek to support each other via a social network, engaging in social and leisure activities and communication with each other on matters of interest.
Click to read our Constitution
Structure
The IHHA is run by a council of exisitng members, who are elected annually at the AGM. These are termed the National Executive. There are five officers and four ordinary members. The present National Executive members are named below.
| Role | Name |
| President | Maggie Fitzgerald |
| Vice President | Michael Tighe |
| Secretary | Patrick McCourt |
| Treasurer | Joan Tully |
| Public Relations Officer | Paul Bellew |
| Ordinary Member | Paula Hayes (Hearsay Editor) |
| Ordinary Member | Maura Sheehan |
| Ordinary Member | Connie Conway |
| Ordinary Member | Anne O’Byrne |
The Council is supported by many volunteers. We are very grateful for their support.
Join and support the IHHA. Click Application Form to download application file, please print it out and send the completed form to
The Secretary, IHHA, 35 North Frederick Street, Dublin 1
By joining the IHHA you will benefit in three ways:
1. You will be supporting an organisation campaigning for people with an acquired hearing loss.
2. Our magazine “Hearsay” will be posted to you three times a year.
3. You will have the opportunity to meet and engage with other hard of hearing people in comfortable social situations.
The Annual cost of member ship is €10. This has not gone up for more than 10 years and there are no plans to change
