Celebrating Disabled Creativity at Trinity: Winners of the Christy Nolan Inspired Creativity Competition Announced
As part of the 25th Anniversary of the Trinity disAbility Service, we were proud to launch the Christy Nolan Inspired Creativity Competition, honouring the extraordinary legacy of Irish writer and Trinity graduate Christy Nolan (1965–2009).
The competition invited disabled staff and students across Trinity to submit creative works in any medium — writing, visual art, film, music, or performance — reflecting Nolan’s life, words, and spirit. Submissions were encouraged to draw inspiration from Christy’s own reflections on Trinity, including his striking line:
“Accept me for what I am, and I'll accept you for what you're accepted as.”
(Under the Eye of the Clock, p.4)
This statement captures not only Christy’s experience at Trinity, where “nobody made him feel different”, but also the ethos we continue to cultivate today: a university in which disabled people are not only welcomed but supported, recognised, and celebrated.
Winners Announced – 8 May 2025
Six exceptional Trinity students have been selected as winners of this year’s competition, Perseverance Through Words: A Tribute to Christy Nolan, organised in partnership with the Library of Trinity College Dublin.
Winning Entries:
- Anna Lopuchowycz– Notch (poetry)
- Aoife O’Donovan– Musical composition inspired by Christy’s line: “Zealous mercurial dreams were about to be realised”
- Ava Rose Beggy– Untitled oil painting inspired by the same line
- Avantika Singhal– Untitled personal essay inspired by: “Now could he ever get his chance to let folk see what they thought never existed?”
- Claudia Clarke Gosalvez– Hearts (charcoal drawing)
- Holly Wolohan– Private Piano Portmanteau (poem)
The winners were recognised at a celebration in the Long Room on 7 May, with reflections shared by Yvonne Nolan, Christy’s sister, and Rosaleen McDonagh, playwright and activist.
The overall winning piece, Aoife O’Donovan’s musical composition, now forms part of the Long Room exhibition:
“Zealous mercurial dreams were about to be realised: New treasures of the Old Library.”
Aoife O’Donovan, 3rd Year Student, Bachelor in Music Composition, RIAM, who was named overall winner said:
“My piece of music is inspired by how Christy Nolan used his own voice in a way that made sense to him. I focused on the way he wrote about the anticipation, excitement and worry he experience before he came to study at Trinity and how he faced the massive challenge before him. My piece tries to draw out all the emotions he described as he faced this new chapter in his life.
“I was delighted to participate in the competition. It was wonderful to connect with all the people involved in the competition and the other artists who contributed such brilliant pieces of work. I’m so happy that the judges saw the potential in my piece.”
A Celebration of Disabled Talent at Trinity
Declan Treanor, Director of Trinity disAbility Service, highlighted Christy’s enduring influence:
“Christy Nolan once said that nobody made him feel different at Trinity — a powerful reminder of what this university can be at its best: a place where disabled people are not only accepted but celebrated.”
Christy’s archive, donated by his family to Trinity’s Library, continues to inspire new generations of disabled artists, writers and creators — a legacy that this competition proudly extends.
The Library’s Head of Research Collections, Laura Shanahan, emphasised the importance of ensuring that Trinity’s collections — and the voices we preserve — reflect the diversity of lived experiences within our university community.
Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future
Christy Nolan’s creativity emerged despite immense physical barriers, nurtured in a Trinity community that recognised his potential and his voice. The competition in his name reflects this commitment to enabling disabled students and staff to express themselves authentically, boldly and creatively.
Through this year’s outstanding submissions, disabled artists at Trinity have once again demonstrated the depth of talent, insight and imagination within our community — a tribute both to Christy Nolan’s legacy and to the transformational role of the Trinity disAbility Service over the past 25 years.
Why a Posthumous Degree for Christy Nolan?
Pursuing a posthumous degree for Christy Nolan was a deliberate and deeply meaningful decision. It reflected three core motivations:
1. Acknowledging Christy's Academic Journey and Contribution to Trinity
Christy’s time at Trinity was transformative — for him and for the institution. Despite significant physical barriers, his intellectual and creative capacities were undeniable. His published works during and after his studies continue to shape Irish literature and disability discourse.
Awarding a posthumous degree formally recognises the academic path he began here and the unique contribution he made as a Trinity student, writer, and cultural figure.
2. Honouring a Disabled Pioneer Whose Legacy Still Shapes Our Work
Christy’s life embodies the very principles Trinity now promotes through inclusive education, universal design, and the empowerment of disabled students.
His story affirms the importance of environments where disabled people can thrive, belong, and excel. Granting the posthumous degree ensures that his legacy is not merely celebrated but embedded into Trinity’s institutional history.
3. Sending a Powerful Message to Disabled Students and the Wider Community
This recognition demonstrates that Trinity values disabled achievement, leadership, and creativity — not just in the present, but retrospectively where recognition is overdue.
For current disabled students and staff, Christy’s degree sends a clear message:
your presence, your work, and your voice matter here — and always have.
It also aligns with the 25-year journey of the Disability Service: building a university where people are judged by their talent and ambition, not by assumptions about their disability.
https://marklkm.github.io/christy-nolan-event-2025/index.html#overview