Ellen Keane: 'It's an internalised ableism we all have — that someone won't want me because I'm not like everyone else'

Paralympic gold medallist Ellen Keane has what can seem like unshakeable self-belief - but it hasn’t come easy. She talks to Gemma Fullam about the full circle moment of her final Olympics and what's next.

Paralympian, Ellen Keane this year’s ambassador during the launch of Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) Made Local 2024 campaign in Dublin's city centre. Photo: Gareth Chaney

“We always get so caught up in the results of events and the rewards and the successes that might come with those events, but I think the bottom line should always be your happiness.”

Happiness is something 29-year-old Ellen Keane prioritises and, like her other achievements, it isn’t accidental; she’s grafted for it. Hers is a purposeful life, lived with intention.