In the first project of its kind in the north-west, children and adults with special needs from all over south Donegal were this week given the chance to stage their own creative dance performance.
More than 120 people of all ages, those with special needs and able-bodied, took part in the performance, staged in Ballyshannon on Wednesday and Thursday. It was the culmination of six weeks' work with a professional dance teacher, Carmel Garvey.
A key element of the project was the integration of people with all kinds of disabilities and special needs with able-bodied people. Some of those taking part in the dance were in wheelchairs.
The organisers hope the project will increase awareness of the often-untapped potential of people with disabilities. "There are amazing things happening on stage with everybody mixing together and partnering each other. They are blossoming through this project," Ms Garvey said.
The special-needs people ranged in age from four to 70 and come from schools and daycare centres in Donegal town, Killybegs, Bundoran and Ballyshannon, and were partnered by their carers and by pupils from a number of local schools.
The main organiser, Sister Catherine Gibbons from Ballyshannon, got the idea after seeing a dance on the theme of the Famine choreographed by Carmel Garvey, involving four schools in a cross-Border project. She then secured funding from the EU's Peace and Reconciliation Programme and set about involving the various schools and daycare centres.
Additional funding was provided by the Millennium Committee, Donegal County Council, the North Western Health Board and private sponsors.
The theme of the dance is creation, with the portrayal of major historical events. The importance of inclusion and accepting everyone is also a theme.
"I hope this gets the message across about what is possible with people with learning disabilities and the importance of integration," Sister Catherine said.