'We love our chat here', say Cork charity's deaf workers

Cork Deaf Enterprises specialises in restoring furniture along with its employees' confidence 

Cork Deaf Enterprises employs 35 staff at the Ballinlough facility, which was founded in 1987, and specialises in high-quality furniture restoration and repairs. Picture: Chani Anderson

Zivile Lucinaviciute shudders as she recalls her former workplace, where she was banned from using sign language to communicate with other deaf colleagues.

The factory, in her native Lithuania, had both hearing and deaf workers — but sign language was not allowed.

“I can remember seeing other people chatting away, but I wouldn’t be able to find out what the conversation was about. They were having their own private conversations, but I couldn’t be involved,” said Zivile.

“I just had to put my head down and get on with the job.

“There were other deaf people working there too, but we were all kept away from each other to avoid any communication.

"Signing wasn’t allowed. They wanted to make sure our hands were being used for work and nothing else.

"That was really tough. There were days when I was crying because the communication was so difficult.”

Then a visit to a friend who lived in Ireland opened Zivile’s eyes to new possibilities for her and her husband Tom — who is also deaf — and their daughter Tina, 17, and 10-year-old son Totis. Totis is deaf, while Tina is hard of hearing.

“I loved how beautiful and green Ireland was. I also saw how well my friend was doing. All we knew was that the future was going to be very difficult in Lithuania.

We made the decision as a family to come to Ireland.

The family moved here in 2020 after covid struck.

“I got work here in Cork Deaf Enterprises. It was hard to find a place to live at first, but luckily we did.”

Machinist Zivile Lucinaviciute, from Lithuania, has thrived both personally and professionally since joining the Cork Deaf Enterprises team in Ballinlough. Picture: Chani Anderson

Four years on and life couldn’t be more different for the 38-year-old Lithuanian seamstress.

Cork Deaf Enterprises in Ballinlough has seen her thrive both personally and professionally. She is one of 35 staff at the facility, which was founded in 1987, and specialises in high-quality furniture restoration and repairs.

In recent years, the business has also become home to the Sign and Cycle project — where employees can train to become bicycle mechanics by recycling and repairing bikes.

Zivile said she is relieved to be able to sign freely at work again. Some 28 employees at the facility have a disability and are predominantly deaf or hard of hearing.

We love to chat here.

"Our conversations are much the same as the ones between hearing people. We talk about news, sports, celebrities breaking up, and arguments in the deaf community.”

Ballyphehane man John O’Sullivan, who was born deaf, had been unemployed for 12 years before finally securing a job upholstering with Cork Deaf Enterprises.

The 48-year-old said that entering the workforce had an extremely positive impact on his mental health.

John O’Sullivan says the workplace has had an extremely positive impact on his mental health. Picture: Chani Anderson

“Mentally, it’s better for me. I’m more comfortable working with deaf people in a professional environment.

“I’ve been here eight years now. Before that, I had a job in construction and also gardening. However, anyone I worked with was hearing — so I found I spent my days writing notes to people to communicate. It’s just really hard, but here it is different.

“For 12 years I was handing out CVs. I would have done anything, but I just couldn’t get a job.”

The company’s general manager, Steven Flint, said they are keen to raise the charity’s profile.

We need to get it out more in terms of explaining to people what we’re doing

“People in Ballinlough will say they never knew we had this big workshop, so raising awareness is very important to us. We regard everybody as part of the team. If you work together and help the people who are struggling, it can have a hugely positive impact.

“The idea is that if we help each other out, then we will all get there together. That team mentality is something we have a very strong emphasis on.”

Employment assistance officer Claire O’Mahony said the charity has shed light on some incredible talent.

“All the staff here are skilled craftsmen and women. Even though we are different to a lot of workplaces, in that we are a registered charity, everyone is unbelievable at what they do. This is a learning environment, and we are all learning together.

"We can all make mistakes, but we help each other along. Having a team mentality is very important.”