Cork store hailed for autism friendly initiative

A supermarket in West Cork has been hailed from as far away as Australia after it announced it would hold an autism-friendly shopping evening in its store.

Scally’s SuperValu in Clonakilty, more readily associated with food awards, will dim the lights, cut the music and turn off any loudspeaker announcements between 7pm and 9pm next Tuesday after a suggestion from a local woman who is a student in autism studies at University College Cork.

Patricia O’Leary, who is originally from Dublin but who has lived in Clonakilty for more than 20 years, made the request to Eugene Scally, who owns the SuperValu store on the edge of the seaside town. Patricia’s daughter, who is also a student, has also worked in the supermarket part-time.

“This is an area I have covered in my studies, which is what can be done to help children and adults with autism,” Patricia said.

She said a typical supermarket shopping trip can be difficult for people with autism due to the potential for sensory overload, and what might seem to others to be a tantrum, in reality “they are trying to regulate their system and bring it back to normal”.

The plan for next Tuesday night will create “a calmer environment”. “We have had feedback from as far away as Australia,” Patricia said. “To my knowledge, no one has done it [before].”

Store owner Eugene Scally said: “I cannot get over it, people are being very complimentary. The amount of comments about it this morning is phenomenal.”

“It’s not a once-off, it’s a first-off,” Mr Scally said, indicating it may become a regular feature.