Honouring Christy Nolan’s Legacy: Creativity & Disability in Trinity’s Disability Service

Perseverance Through Words: A Tribute to Christy Nolan

In Spring 2025, the "Perseverance Through Words" competition celebrated Christy Nolan's legacy and empowered disabled students and staff at Trinity College Dublin to showcase their creativity.

Christy Nolan's (1965 – 2009) life and legacy remain a powerful example of the very best of Irish literature and creativity. From publishing his first collection of poetry at the age of fifteen (Dam-Burst of Dreams) to his memoir (Under the Eye of the Clock) and highly acclaimed novel (The Banyan Tree), Christy's literary talents continue to touch the lives of many.

During his time studying at Trinity College Dublin, Christy found a space in which he and his disability were accepted, and he could thrive. In honour of Christy Nolan's archival works being installed in The Long Room at Trinity College Dublin, and Trinity Disability Service’s 25th anniversary, the Disability Service is keen to acknowledge the vast creative talents among current disabled staff and students at Trinity.

To do this, the Disability Service, in collaboration with Trinity's libraries, hosted a competition for disabled staff and students here at Trinity. We at the Disability Service are aware that self-expression can come in all forms, so we opened this competition up to all art forms, including literary, visual arts, film, and performance.

Celebrating 25 Years of Accessibility and Inclusion

Declan Treanor, Director of Trinity disAbility Service, Trinity College Dublin, explained: “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."

“As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Trinity disAbility Service, and honour Christy's extraordinary legacy, we affirm that creativity and self-expression lie at the heart of both our history and our future. The development of the disAbility Hub has creativity embedded in its very foundations — a space where imagination, voice, and talent are nurtured. Through this competition, we celebrate the richness of disabled voices in all their forms, just as Christy once did.

The Life and Legacy of Christy Nolan

Christy Nolan (1965-2009) was an Irish writer, poet, and playwright whose work challenged barriers in literature and disability advocacy. Born with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, Christy defied societal expectations and became one of Ireland’s most celebrated literary voices. His ability to craft powerful narratives, despite immense physical limitations, is a testament to human resilience, creativity, and the need for inclusivity in literature and the arts.

Through his pioneering works and his mother Bernadette Nolan’s advocacy, Christy inspired a movement for recognizing disabled artists’ talents. His legacy continues through literature courses, disability studies, and initiatives like the Christy Nolan Creative Competition, ensuring that disabled voices are celebrated and heard.

Christy Nolan wearing his unicorn stick with his mother Elizabeth Nolan standing above him.
The unicorn stick was a tool that Christy used to type with.

Notable Works:

Dam-Burst of Dreams (1981) – A collection of poetry and prose showcasing his literary talent.
Under the Eye of the Clock (1987) – An award-winning autobiographical novel on his lived experience.
The Banyan Tree (1999) – A masterful novel exploring Irish heritage, memory, and storytelling.

Christy Nolan’s story reminds us of the boundless power of creativity and perseverance. His words continue to inspire and uplift future generations of disabled artists and writers.

Award winners announced

The winners were announced at a ceremony in Trinity Library’s Long Room on Wednesday, May 7th, which included speeches from Yvonne Nolan, Christy Nolan’s sister, and Rosaleen McDonagh, author, playwright, and disability activist.

The overall winning entry, a musical composition by Aoife O’Donovan, will now form part of the current exhibition in the Long Room entitled "Zealous mercurial dreams were about to be realised: New treasures of the Old Library". The exhibition features archival material from the Library’s Christy Nolan archive.

The winners are:

Anna Lopuchowycz, for a poem entitled ‘Notch’
Aoife O’Donovan, for a musical composition inspired by Christy Nolan’s words which he used in his autobiography to describe the beginning of his venture as a Trinity student; ‘Zealous mercurial dreams were about to be realised’
Ava Rose Beggy, for an untitled oil painting; inspired by the above quote
Avantika Singhal, for an untitled personal essay, inspired by Christy words; ‘Now could he ever get his chance to let folk see what they thought never existed?’
Claudia Clarke Gosalvez, for a charcoal drawing entitled, ‘Hearts’
Holly Wolohan, for poem entitled ‘Private Piano Portmanteau’

Submissions can be viewed at the link here or downloaded in PDF here: Christy Nolan Competition Submissions.