Ursula’s ramp is officially opened

A RETIRED service user of Templeogue House celebrated the culmination of years of work to make Templeogue more wheelchair accessible with the official opening of a ramp on Tuesday afternoon.

Ursula Bishop, who is in her early 80s, had attended intellectual disability service Templeogue House, which is part of St Michael’s House, for over 25 years before recently choosing to retire from it.

Ms Bishop is a wheelchair user and routinely highlighted the accessibility issues she faced when leaving Templeogue House to go to the nearby Orwell Shopping Centre.

She encountered curbs that weren’t properly dished, kissing gates which obstructed her, and stairs linking Templeogue House to Rossmore that meant she’d have to take longer routes and detours.

Mark Smith, the person-in-charge at Templeogue House, told The Echo: “Ursula is a wheelchair user and somebody who is always capable of having her voice heard and being able to bring awareness to the issues she faces.

Jennifer McMenamin, Ursula Bishop, Claire Colgin and Alex Pierce

“She’s very independent, and she’d often go down on her own from Templeogue House to Orwell Shopping Centre and would’ve encountered many accessibility issues.”

With assistance from Templeogue House staff member Paul O’Hare, and the support of local Labour councillor Pamela Kearns, Ms Bishop raised her concerns with South Dublin County Council over the years.

In response, the council confirmed last January that it would carry out improvement works to make the area more accessible – culminating in the installation of a ramp from Rossmore to Templeogue House on Tuesday.

Ursula with Family, Friends and Staff

Other works carried out by the council included the dishing of curbs in the area, and the removal of obstructive kissing gates.

The work began last February and reached completion this week much to the delight of Ms Bishop, who lives in Perrystown and used to work in Mrs Greene’s Charity Shop in Templeogue village.

“It’s the culmination of all of Ursula’s work and the realisation of the idea that she was going to be the one that would bring awareness [to the accessibility issues],” added Mr Smith.

Ursula cutting the ribbon with Mayor Emma Murphy, Pamela Kearns and Mark Smith

“I am just thrilled to see a service user taking a piece of work, developing it, putting it together, and having that commitment to it and to see it being realised.”

Mr Smith added that Ms Bishop’s work to make the area more accessible will make a difference not only to her, but to many people who attend Templeogue House and others with reduced mobility.

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