Life with no limits

OVERCOMING obstacles and truly embodying the message ‘Life with no Limits’, Laura Dempsey has proven that she will not let her disability stand in her way of doing what she loves.

Laura (42) from Kingswood, Tallaght, has spina bifida and hydrocephalus and is visually impaired.

She is a talented singer, songwriter and author having released two songs so far and has almost finished writing her autobiography – ‘All about me by Miss Laura D’.

Laura says she does not let her disability hold her back from her passions in life and if she sees a hurdle in her way, she will find a way to overcome it.

Speaking about how she became involved with music, Laura told The Echo: “In 2012 I entered a competition with Enable Ireland called Limerick Lady and I sang one of Frances Black’s songs ‘All the lies that you’ve told me’, and I ended up winning the competition.

“When my dad heard about it, he rang up Frances Black’s agent and he told her my story and Francis Black asked me would I like to sing in her concert.”

Laura got the opportunity to showcase her talent onstage with Francis Black, an experience she says was “absolutely amazing” and was an enlightening moment that made her realise that music is what she wanted to pursue.

Enable Ireland staff in Tymon

“When I got up on stage I actually thought – I can do this. My disability isn’t stopping me, and I really loved the whole experience of being up on stage,” said Laura.

Laura says after the experience she decided to look up singer-songwriters online and was put in touch with singer Alan Kavanagh, with whom she wrote her first song ‘This is my Family’ and then went on to collaborate with Peter Fitzpatrick and Fiach Ó Muircheartaigh on the track ‘Me and my Friends’.

As Laura is partially sighted, she uses JAWS, a computer screen reader program for Microsoft Windows to write lyrics which is then put to music.

In addition to her writing and music, Laura has completed work placements in Tallaght University Hospital and Local Employment Services and has ‘90 per cent’ of her autobiography written.

“The book was another thing I started before the lockdown,” she said.

“ I have been getting counselling in the past and because of the counselling I decided to write a book to help me to sort out my head and talk about the people that have come into my life and helped me.

“It is challenging at times because I have to put in both happy and sad times, but it is a great form of therapy for me.”

Staff at Enable Ireland in Tymon

Laura is one of the champions of Enable Ireland’s champions of the ‘Life with No Limits’ campaign which provides a platform for children and adults with disabilities to share their experiences while raising much-needed funds for the charity.

Laura attends Enable Ireland Adult Services in Crumlin and says that the service has given her the confidence to learn new skills.

“I didn’t have a clue what to do next after I wrote my songs, and it was through Enable Ireland that all of this came about because two of the staff heard my music and said that they should go online, and it just took off from there – it was Enable Ireland that gave it that push,” she explained.

Laura thanked all of the staff at Enable Ireland for helping her on her journey as well as her family who she says are the most important people in her life.

“They have taken my disability and just thrown it into the bin basically – I just don’t feel like I have a disability with all that I have done and achieved in the last year,” she said.

“My family have been brilliant as well, my Mam, dad and my sister – they are the most supportive people and they really mean a lot to me.”

Speaking about what is next for her, Laura says that she hopes to concentrate on her music, finish her autobiography and is currently learning the keyboard using JAWS.

You can support Enable Ireland’s ‘Life with No Limits’ campaign this September and help raise vital funds for disability services by donating a bag of quality clothing or household items into any TK Maxx store nationwide as part of their ‘Give Up Clothes For Good’ campaign or Text ENABLE to 50300 to donate €4.

You can download music from Laura Dempsey from any digital music platform, including Spotify and iTunes.