Cork bar launches autism-friendly days and special menus 

Aoife Flannery from Carrigaline, Co Cork, a floor staff member at District 11 in Glanmire, Cork. Picture: David Keane

A Cork bar/restaurant has launched autism-friendly days and special menus following a collaboration between itself and a COPE Foundation jobs coach.

District 11 in Glanmire is designating part of its restaurant on all Tuesdays to families of autistic children. There will be no music or television on and it is also in the process of creating a sensory garden outside for them.

The hostelry took the decision after taking part in Cope's Ability@work scheme. It resulted in one of the foundation’s clients, 22-year-old Aoife Flannery, starting a job there just over a year ago.

“I really like working here,” said Aoife. “I like the uniform and the people. I had lots of previous work experience at Scoil Bernadette in Montenotte and did hairdressing at St John’s College. I really liked that too.” 

 When Aoife started out at District 11 she was shadowed for a couple of weeks by Cope jobs coach Daragh Forde who discussed the possibility of making the premises more autism-friendly with its general manager, Joanne O’Leary.

Joanne had previously worked as a care assistant in Cope and immediately saw the need to do something about it.

Garden plan

“We have now designated a special area in the restaurant as autism-friendly all day every Tuesday and have special menus printed up which show pictures of the dishes. We are going to create a special sensory garden as well in the outdoors area. We will be putting sensory mats and toys in it and noiseless wind chimes. We hope to have it open in the next few weeks,” Ms O’Leary said.

Aoife Flannery from Carrigaline, Co Cork, left, a floor staff member at District 11 in Glanmire, Cork, along with her mother, Carloyn O'Regan, and Joanne O'Leary, District 11 general manager, right.

The area designated as autism-friendly in the restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and can seat up to 50 people.

“I believe we will be the first restaurant in the county to have such easy-read menus available. They are menus with images, more so than words,” she said.

Easy read menus for autism friendly days at District 11 in Glanmire, Cork.

Ms O’Leary said the business is delighted to have Aoife working for it and said more companies should get involved in the Ability@work scheme.

“They are a dedicated supported employment service that aims to bring young people with intellectual disabilities and or autism closer to the labour market. In the last year, we have employed Aoife and she proved herself to be an important part of our team here in District 11. 

"Her confidence has grown week by week. I also believe it is important to have a diverse cohort of staff and I have seen first-hand the positive effect this has had on staff morale,” Ms O’Leary said.

“Aoife gets on very well with all the staff and the customers love her. She’s a good worker and l'll tell you she is the best sanitiser we have in the place,” she said.

Aoife’s mother, Carolyn, said the Ability@work scheme has made her daughter far more confident. Aoife lives in Carrigaline and has to get two buses to work in Glanmire and two buses back home.

“It is great that some employers have taken on people through the scheme and I hope more will take the opportunity to do so,” Carolyn said.

Ms O’Leary added: “I believe it is important for families with children of any disabilities to be able to dine out and not feel under pressure. We hope other restaurants will follow suit."