Frank Larkin

Frank Larkin (1972 – 27 March 2020) was an Irish disability rights activist. He was one of the most prominent such figures in his country.[3]

This article is about the disability rights activist. For the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate, see Frank J. Larkin.
Frank Larkin
Born1972[1]
Died27 March 2020(2020-03-27) (aged 47–48)
Known forDisability rights activism
Spouse(s)Pauline[2]
ChildrenNone
Parents
  • Frank Snr (father)
  • Brighdin (mother)

Biography

Larkin was born with the birth defect spina bifida.[4] He stated that his "will to campaign" came from "the frustrations I experience relating to having a disability".[5]

He ran for Letterkenny Town Council as a Fine Gael candidate in the 2009 elections, but was unsuccessful.[4]

He attended a hearing on disability issues at the European Parliament in 2012.[6] Larkin was elected chairperson of his country's national campaign for disabilities in 2013.[4][7]

He was one of twenty participants from fourteen different countries chosen to attend a conference in Budapest in March 2014.[8][9]

In 2015, Larkin became involved in a dispute with Facebook over posts it decided were not offensive, among which was an advertisement for a spina bifida doll that encouraged the buyer to abuse it.[10] He thought about deleting his account but instead he led a petition against the posts, which was ultimately successful.[11][12]

In 2016, Larkin became involved in a dispute with the makers of Coronation Street over the language used by character David Platt to his grandmother Audrey Roberts in an episode of the TV series.[3] Also that year, he worked on an accessibility guide for his local area.[3][13]

He represented his country at the European Network for Independent Living in Brussels in 2019.[4]

Larkin was a sports enthusiast who followed the English association football team Liverpool.[4]

Among the issues he spoke out against were being sent two tickets for each football game he attended, one of which he had to pay for and intended for a companion which he did not need;[14] illegal parking in disabled spaces;[13][15][16][17] measures imposed by government on disabled people;[18] discrimination by taxi drivers;[2] and securing parking spaces outside court for disabled people.[19]

Larkin died suddenly in hospital in 2020 at the age of 48.[4] He had been active in calling for disability access to polling stations in the weeks before his death.[20] Days before he died, he had been admiring the weather.[21] He was survived by his wife Pauline, his mother Brighdin, his father Frank Snr and his siblings: Louise, Geraldine, Olga, Sharon, Linda, Paul and Gareth.[22][23][24][25]

See also

References
  1. AccessIreland: Frank Larkin 1972 - 2020
  2. McCallig, Elaine (20 November 2016). "Outrage after activist denied taxi due to disability".
  3. Forker, Mark (2 August 2016). "Local campaigner embroiled in row with Corrie bosses".
  4. McNulty, Chris (27 March 2020). "Sadness in Donegal at death of disability rights activist Frank Larkin".
  5. Forker, Mark (29 June 2016). "Interview with disability awareness activist Frank Larkin".
  6. "Donegal man to represent disabled in European Palliament". 6 February 2012.
  7. "Frank gets top job". 7 October 2013.
  8. "Donegal disability campaigner to attend hate crime conference". 13 March 2014.
  9. "Donegal disability campaigner vows to continue work after attending conference". 28 March 2014.
  10. Forker, Mark (16 April 2015). "Donegal disability campaigner left horrified at repulsive posts left on Facebook page".
  11. "Deal appropriately with hate speech and images online relating to disability". Change.org. 2015.
  12. Forker, Mark (22 April 2015). "Trolls defeated as offensive Facebook page deactivated".
  13. McCallig, Elaine (26 August 2016). "Activist hits out at non-badge holders taking wheelchair accesible [sic] spaces".
  14. "I don't need two tickets for Croke Park, says wheelchair-bound fan". 18 August 2011.
  15. "Frank has disability allowance cut because he could not find a parking space". 20 May 2013.
  16. Maguire, Stephen (21 May 2013). "Wheelchair user docked disability allowance". The Irish Times.
  17. "Victory for Frank! Wheelchair-user has disability allowance reinstated". 22 May 2013.
  18. "No coherent plan for disabled in Budget 2014 says Donegal campaigner". 22 May 2013.
  19. McCallig, Elaine (26 January 2018). "Campaigners secure wheelchair accessible parking at new courthouse".
  20. "Election 2020: Sixteen Donegal polling stations do not have disability access". 21 January 2020.
  21. "Tributes paid following death of Frank Larkin". Donegal News. 27 March 2020.
  22. Doherty, Diarmuid (27 March 2020). "Shock and sadness at news of the death of Frank Larkin". Donegal Live.
  23. "Parish says a fond farewell to the late Frank Larkin". 29 March 2020.
  24. "Death Notice of Frank Larkin (Jnr)". 27 March 2020.
  25. "Finn Harps pay tribute to club volunteer Frank Larkin". Highland Radio. 28 March 2020.
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