PICTURES: Tipperary teen autism activist Cara Darmody meets President Connolly at Áras

A young disability rights advocate from County Tipperary has shared her excitement after a memorable visit to Áras an Uachtaráin, where she met with the President of Ireland Catherine Connolly. 

Cara Darmody (15), who is widely recognised for her campaigning work on autism services, described the experience as “nothing short of a dream” following her meeting with Catherine Connolly and her husband Brian McEnery.

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In a social media post, Cara reflected on the occasion, explaining that she and her family spent an hour in conversation with the President at her official residence.

During the visit, Cara said she had the opportunity to hear “behind-the-scenes stories” from the Presidential campaign, adding that she found both the President and her husband to be “humble and kind.”

Cara, who has gained national attention for her advocacy on behalf of her two non-verbal younger brothers, has previously highlighted the urgent need for improved autism services across Ireland.

Her activism has included 50-hour sleep-out protests outside Leinster House and ongoing engagement with public representatives.

She also brought a touch of humour to her account of the visit, noting that her father was “tea’d out” after drinking five cups during their time at the Áras.

Cara expressed her gratitude to the staff, thanking them for their kindness and hospitality throughout the visit.

The meeting comes at a busy time for the young campaigner. Cara confirmed that her focus now turns to what she described as “The Clash of the Leinster House Ash,” a forthcoming meeting with Emer Higgins, Minister for Disability, scheduled for next Thursday.

The meeting is expected to centre on what Cara has called the “assessments of needs national crisis,” an issue she has been vocal about in her advocacy work.

Despite her young age, Cara continues to play an active role in raising awareness of disability services in Ireland, combining public campaigning with direct engagement with decision-makers at the highest levels.

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