Frank Larkin

{{Short description|Irish disability rights activist (1972–2020)}} {{this|the disability rights activist|the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate|Frank J. Larkin}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}} {{Use Irish English|date=May 2021}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Frank Larkin | honorific_suffix = | image =  | image_upright = | landscape =  | alt =  | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | pronunciation = | birth_name =  | birth_date = 1972<ref>[https://accessireland.ie/disability-equality-training/ AccessIreland: Frank Larkin 1972 - 2020]</ref> | birth_place = | baptised =  | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|3|27|1972|df=y}} | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates =  | burial_place =  | burial_coordinates =  | nationality = | other_names = | siglum = | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = | years_active = | era = | employer = | organization = | known_for = Disability rights activism | notable_works =  | style = | height =  | television = | title =  | term = | predecessor = | successor = | party = | movement = | opponents = | boards = | spouse = Pauline<ref name=dd_20112016>{{cite news|first=Elaine|last=McCallig|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/11/20/outrage-after-local-activist-denied-taxi-due-to-disability/|title=Outrage after activist denied taxi due to disability|date=20 November 2016}}</ref> | children = None | parents =  | mother = Brighdin | father = Frank Snr | relatives = | family = | callsign = | awards = | website =  | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | footnotes = }} '''Frank Larkin''' (1972 – 27 March 2020) was an Irish disability rights activist. He was one of the most prominent such figures in his country.<ref name=dd_02082016/>{{Better source needed|date=April 2020}}

==Biography== Larkin was born with the birth defect spina bifida.<ref name=dd_27032020/> He stated that his "will to campaign" came from "the frustrations I experience relating to having a disability".<ref>{{cite news|first=Mark|last=Forker|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/06/29/my-donegal-with-disability-awareness-activist-frank-larkin/|title=Interview with disability awareness activist Frank Larkin|date=29 June 2016}}</ref>

He ran for Letterkenny Town Council as a Fine Gael candidate in the 2009 elections, but was unsuccessful.<ref name=dd_27032020/>

He attended a hearing on disability issues at the European Parliament in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/02/06/donegal-man-to-represent-disabled-in-european-parliament-fgfgfgf/|title=Donegal man to represent disabled in European Palliament|date=6 February 2012}}</ref> Larkin was elected chairperson of his country's national campaign for disabilities in 2013.<ref name=dd_27032020/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2013/10/07/frank-gets-top-job-in-spina-bifida-ireland/|title=Frank gets top job|date=7 October 2013}}</ref>

He was one of twenty participants from fourteen different countries chosen to attend a conference in Budapest in March 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2014/03/13/donegal-disability-campaigner-to-attend-hate-crime-conference/|title=Donegal disability campaigner to attend hate crime conference|date=13 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2014/03/28/donegal-disability-campaigner-vows-to-continue-work-after-attending-conference/|title=Donegal disability campaigner vows to continue work after attending conference|date=28 March 2014}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news|first=Mark|last=Forker|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2015/04/16/donegal-disability-campaigner-left-horrified-at-repulsive-posts-left-on-local-facebook-page-2/|title=Donegal disability campaigner left horrified at repulsive posts left on Facebook page|date=16 April 2015}}</ref> He thought about deleting his account but instead he led a petition against the posts, which was ultimately successful.<ref>{{cite news|title=Deal appropriately with hate speech and images online relating to disability|work=Change.org|year=2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Mark|last=Forker|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2015/04/22/trolls-defeated-as-offensive-local-facebook-page-is-deactivated/|title=Trolls defeated as offensive Facebook page deactivated|date=22 April 2015}}</ref>

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.<ref name=dd_02082016>{{cite news|first=Mark|last=Forker|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/08/02/local-campaigner-embroiled-in-row-with-corrie-bosses/|title=Local campaigner embroiled in row with Corrie bosses|date=2 August 2016}}</ref> Also that year, he worked on an accessibility guide for his local area.<ref name=dd_02082016/><ref name=dd_26082016>{{cite news|first=Elaine|last=McCallig|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/08/26/disability-rights-activist-hits-out-at-non-badge-holders-taking-wheelchair-accesible-spaces/|title=Activist hits out at non-badge holders taking wheelchair {{sic|acce|sible|nolink=y}} spaces|date=26 August 2016}}</ref>

He represented his country at the European Network for Independent Living in Brussels in 2019.<ref name=dd_27032020/>

Larkin was a sports enthusiast who followed the English association football team Liverpool.<ref name=dd_27032020/>

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;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2011/08/18/i-dont-need-free-gaa-tickets-for-croke-park-says-wheelchair-bound-fan/|title=I don't need two tickets for Croke Park, says wheelchair-bound fan|date=18 August 2011}}</ref> illegal parking in disabled spaces;<ref name=dd_26082016/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2013/05/20/frank-has-disability-allowance-cut-because-he-could-not-find-parking-space/|title=Frank has disability allowance cut because he could not find a parking space|date=20 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Stephen|last=Maguire|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/wheelchair-user-docked-disability-allowance-1.1400691|title=Wheelchair user docked disability allowance|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=21 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2013/05/22/victory-for-frank-wheelchair-user-has-disability-allowance-reinstated/|title=Victory for Frank! Wheelchair-user has disability allowance reinstated|date=22 May 2013}}</ref> measures imposed by government on disabled people;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2013/05/22/victory-for-frank-wheelchair-user-has-disability-allowance-reinstated/|title=No coherent plan for disabled in Budget 2014 says Donegal campaigner|date=22 May 2013}}</ref> discrimination by taxi drivers;<ref name=dd_20112016/> and securing parking spaces outside court for disabled people.<ref>{{cite news|first=Elaine|last=McCallig|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2018/01/26/local-campaigners-secure-wheelchair-accessible-parking-at-new-letterkenny-courthouse/|title=Campaigners secure wheelchair accessible parking at new courthouse|date=26 January 2018}}</ref>

Larkin died suddenly in hospital in 2020 at the age of 48.<ref name=dd_27032020>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/03/27/sadness-in-donegal-at-death-of-disability-activist-frank-larkin/|title=Sadness in Donegal at death of disability rights activist Frank Larkin|date=27 March 2020}}</ref> He had been active in calling for disability access to polling stations in the weeks before his death.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/01/21/election-2020-sixteen-donegal-polling-stations-to-do-not-have-disability-access/|title=Election 2020: Sixteen Donegal polling stations do not have disability access|date=21 January 2020}}</ref> Days before he died, he had been admiring the weather.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://donegalnews.com/2020/03/tributes-paid-following-death-of-frank-larkin/|title=Tributes paid following death of Frank Larkin|work=Donegal News|date=27 March 2020|access-date=8 April 2020|archive-date=31 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200331223153/https://donegalnews.com/2020/03/tributes-paid-following-death-of-frank-larkin/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|first=Diarmuid|last=Doherty|url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/news/530121/shock-and-sadness-at-news-of-the-death-of-frank-larkin-letterkenny.html|title=Shock and sadness at news of the death of Frank Larkin|work=Donegal Live|date=27 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/03/29/parish-says-a-fond-farewell-to-the-late-frank-larkin/|title=Parish says a fond farewell to the late Frank Larkin|date=29 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://rip.ie/death-notice/frank-larkin-jnr-letterkenny-donegal/417726|title=Death Notice of Frank Larkin (Jnr)|date=27 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.highlandradio.com/2020/03/28/finn-harps-pay-tribute-to-club-volunteer-frank-larkin/|title=Finn Harps pay tribute to club volunteer Frank Larkin|work=Highland Radio|date=28 March 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Larkin, Frank}} Category:1972 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Irish disability rights activists Category:People from Letterkenny Category:People with spina bifida Category:Irish activists with disabilities Category:21st-century Irish people

Frank Larkin

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