“When I was young, I was terrified of the water.  I remember going to Ballybunion Beach with my family. Even trying to dip my toes in the water gave me motion sickness. Then when I started hydrotherapy to help with my disability I had to try and face the water. But any time my head came close to it I would just freak out!

After I was diagnosed, I spent a long time putting off certain things. However, I realised that my condition was getting worse and that my time was becoming limited to do the things I wanted to do in life. I wanted to try and conquer my fears and not let anything hold me back. I told Conagh, my key worker at Enable Ireland services in Kerry, about my phobia of water. She introduced me to Kerry Passion of Diving by taking me to one of their open days. They are a voluntary organisation that specialises in making scuba diving accessible to everyone. That’s when I decided I wanted to overcome my fear and achieve a diving certification.

My first day of training with Passion of Diving was at the Aqua Dome. I was so afraid. But the team there are amazing. They didn’t force me to do anything I didn’t want to. I was slowly introduced to the water and got familiar with the equipment. Passion of Diving were very methodical and good at slowly building your confidence. Now I trust them with my life. However, back then, my fear was getting the better of me. I really struggled with the breathing regulator too.

On the third day, something clicked in me. I stopped trying to breathe through my nose while using the regulator and started to trust it. I realised that I was in no danger. I was surrounded by scuba diving instructors who would quickly pull me up if anything went wrong. I found that the fears which were limiting me were all in my head.

On the fourth day, I dived 2 metres.

Then we went to a deeper pool at the University of Limerick and I doubled the depth I could dive to 4 metres. It was so freeing to have conquered my fears and be able to dive. I don’t feel disabled when I am under the water. It’s like my disability fades away.

Through Passion of Diving, I achieved the theory part of my qualification in Ireland. To achieve the practical part of my qualification, I was fortunate to take a trip to Egypt and go diving in the Red Sea. We went for a week and spent four days diving. 20 people of mixed abilities went from Passion of Diving and they are the some of the best people I’ve met in my life.

It was a scary transition going from a still pool to the open sea where you can be thrown around by the waves. I felt some of my old fears and worries beginning to emerge again. However, having my friends from Passion of Diving around me boosted my confidence. I reminded myself of my training and I was able to push those fears aside. The diving was stunning. Being among the corals, the fish and the different sea life was beautiful. Plus, I achieved my full diving license! Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to go on a few other diving trips, including one to Poland where I dived with sturgeons.

Passion of Diving is not just a scuba club, it feels more like a family. As well as doing regular scuba trips around Ireland we do other activities together like going to the Rose of Tralee festival, summer barbecues, and visiting each other's houses. We are planning a trip back to Egypt in October and a boat safari next year where we’ll eat, sleep and dive along the coast of Egypt.

I would love to get more people with a disability interested in scuba diving, simply for the freeing feeling it gives you. I’ve learnt it’s important to be open to new opportunities in life and to not let fears or self-doubts restrict you.  As well as scuba diving, I try to go skydiving at least once a year. There’s a great sense of exhilaration and freedom to do something where your disability is not a factor. When the parachute opens you get to see the world from a different perspective. It’s made me realise how small my problems are. I’m very proud of myself for taking on these challenges. Next, I’d like to go on a roller coaster or a zipline, as well as trying paragliding or parasailing. There’s a whole world of adventure out there!”