At the back of Columb Barracks, Mullingar is Mullingar Arch Club, a social enterprise set up in 2018 for people with disabilities. It aims to improve members’ social skills and self esteem through a range of activities. Chairperson Claire Garry has helped turn the space at the barracks into a bright and welcoming place that now serves over 100 members. Both of her parents were nurses in St Loman’s hospital which influenced her approach when co-founding the Arch Club along with Katie Donellan.
“For my entire life I had patients from St Loman’s coming to my birthday parties. We all went to the same Christmas party in St Loman’s,” Claire told Topic.
