Ciara O'Mahony: 'The world wasn’t built for someone like me to operate with ease'
For this year's Culture Night, Ciara O’Mahony is producing Candy’s Sweet as Circus Cabaret, at Marina Market. Picture: Darragh Kane
“Persistent and stubborn” is how arts producer Ciara O’Mahony describes herself. Being a wheelchair user, O’Mahony has to try harder than most, but her tenacity and creativity have paid off.
This Cork-based Tralee native is working as the lead producer on a Culture Night event entitled Candy’s Sweet as Circus Cabaret, one of 19 late-night events on September 22 at the Marina Market featuring drag artist Candy Warhol. (O’Mahony is also one of the producers of Pitch’d Circus & Street Arts Festival on until September 24.)
O’Mahony, 29, who has a BA degree from UCC in Film and Screen Media ended up in a wheelchair following an accident when she was six.
“I was very young so it didn’t bother me too much. It’s my day-to-day reality. I’m more than used to it.”
After her degree in 2019, O’Mahony did a lot of volunteering in the arts sector in Cork, everything from stewarding to front of house and box office. She started volunteering with the Cork International Film Festival, the Fastnet Short Film Festival in Schull, and the Cork Midsummer Festival.
“Film is what ignited my passion. But as I was doing my degree, I realised that practical film-making wasn’t necessarily my forté," says O'Mahony.
"I immediately loved the vibrancy of volunteering and the buzz of interacting with different artists, audience members and crews on the various festivals. I knew I wanted that kind of career. I wanted to be part of that world, one way or another, even if it wasn’t going to be the easiest thing for someone in my scenario to build up experience and a career in the sector.”
Did she encounter discrimination?
“There were barriers. It’s no secret that the world wasn’t built for someone like me to operate in with ease. Vast improvements are needed in all areas of life in Ireland including the arts."
O'Mahony admits the experience of working in the arts with a disability can be a mixed bag.
"You can be very fortunate to meet wonderfully supportive organizations and colleagues that really take up the mantle of advocating for inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility because, at the end of the day, it’s too heavy a burden for one person.”
O’Mahony says her practice has inclusivity and diversity at its heart.
“That leads me to amplify the voices of individuals and communities that are under-represented in the arts sector or may find it hard to get their foot in the arts world.”
She is the community artist curator-in-residency with Cork City Council and works with Rebel Wheelers, a multi-sports group for children with physical disabilities.
O’Mahony is involved with Promenade, an organisation set up by Kath Gorman providing artists and organizations with creative support in the field of circus, participatory arts, and street arts.
“At the moment, I’m non-stop busy and will be for the next couple of months. It’s a fantastic complaint as there was an element of concern going from one freelance contract to the next, not necessarily knowing where the next one is coming from.”
The main obstacle that O’Mahony faces is a lack of awareness and insensitivity.
“If you’re the first producer or arts worker with a disability with an access issue that someone encounters, you can feel like you’re the first. That can become quite tedious. It really is about people taking on responsibility and having awareness.
"It’s okay to say you don’t know where to start, but do ask those questions. Arts & Disability Ireland is a fantastic resource about how to make things more accessible.”
For O’Mahony and other creatives working with disabilities, funding is instrumental.
“The Arts Council is quite good with funding support. When you’re putting in an application, you can put in for your access costs. These are costs that support your line of work, whether it’s paying for transport to get to team meetings or any variety of support you might need.”
