Bridgie Casey is a member of the Traveller community, she is currently employed as Project Co-ordinator with Clare Travellers CDP. Previously, Bridgie was employed by CENA (Traveller lead housing body). Bridgie has worked with Traveller organisations at local and national level. Bridgie is committed to working with and for her community to achieve positive outcomes.
Originally from Kells, Corofin, I have been based in Ennis for some years. As a young lad I was very active in the Corofin Youth Club and Hall Committee. In my early working life, I was very active in trade unions, becoming Shop Steward and later President of Clare Trade Union. I also became chair of the Trades Council.
I stood for local elections a number of times with the themes of social inclusion and efforts to represent those on the margins. I failed to get elected despite running very close.
In 1992, together with other people with disabilities, I set up a Disabled People of Clare, with the human rights approach – “Nothing about us without us”. We became active in change locally and nationally. This led to the setting up in recent years of the Clare Leader Forum, in which I am very active.
Also during the late 1990s, I was very active in the Ennis CDP, up to its closing in 2016. This group worked with Travellers and with those who came to Ireland seeking asylum. I am also so very involved in my local residents’ association.
Nationally, I am on the board of the Independent Living Movement Network. I was nominated to a disability committee under the Disability Act 2005. I was elected to Clare LCDC and to the SPC on Social Policy, roles from which I had to step down when I stood in last year’s local elections. I will endeavour to maintain communication with relevant Clare PPN groups to represent you to the best of my ability.
Hilary strongly believes in putting people at the centre of development. It is her view that local development processes must be inclusive, and benefit all of the people. She recognises that in a growing diverse population such as ours we must work to facilitate greater interaction within our community.
She has gained insight through her work as a psychotherapist and life coach, with teenagers in the court systems, and with the disabled community in the DPOC, it has given her a special appreciation for the many needs within the county. As a teacher of Life Coaching night classes in Ennis Community College, she has guided students to develop their potential, and supported their goal setting and personal growth.
Hilary is a former Secretary and member of the Ennis Musical Society, and has taken part in many shows. She is now employed in Shannon Airport and is hugely aware of the value of the Airport to the surrounding communities.
Hilary is an experienced campaigner and most recently was involved in organising the Reinstate ShannonDoc campaign and also the Mid-West Hospital campaign to highlight the inadequate health service in the county. She believes actions speak louder than words and is a hard worker, with an enthusiasm to get things done, which makes her an ideal candidate for the position.
