# Frank Larkin > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Frank_Larkin > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Frank_Larkin.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Larkin > Source revision: 1221500427 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) This article is about the disability rights activist. For the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate, see [Frank J. Larkin](/source/Frank_J._Larkin). **Frank Larkin** (1972 – 27 March 2020) was an Irish [disability rights activist](/source/List_of_disability_rights_activists). He was one of the most prominent such figures in his country.[3][better source needed] ## Biography Larkin was born with the birth defect [spina bifida](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Budapest) in March 2014.[8][9] In 2015, Larkin became involved in a dispute with [Facebook](/source/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](/source/Coronation_Street)* over the language used by character [David Platt](/source/David_Platt_(Coronation_Street)) to his grandmother [Audrey Roberts](/source/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](/source/Independent_living#Independent_living) in [Brussels](/source/Brussels) in 2019.[4] Larkin was a sports enthusiast who followed the English [association football](/source/Association_football) team [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool_F.C.).[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](/source/Polling_place) 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 - [List of disability rights activists](/source/List_of_disability_rights_activists) ## References 1. [AccessIreland: Frank Larkin 1972 - 2020](https://accessireland.ie/disability-equality-training/) 1. McCallig, Elaine (20 November 2016). ["Outrage after activist denied taxi due to disability"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/11/20/outrage-after-local-activist-denied-taxi-due-to-disability/) 1. Forker, Mark (2 August 2016). ["Local campaigner embroiled in row with Corrie bosses"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/08/02/local-campaigner-embroiled-in-row-with-corrie-bosses/) 1. McNulty, Chris (27 March 2020). ["Sadness in Donegal at death of disability rights activist Frank Larkin"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/03/27/sadness-in-donegal-at-death-of-disability-activist-frank-larkin/) 1. Forker, Mark (29 June 2016). ["Interview with disability awareness activist Frank Larkin"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/06/29/my-donegal-with-disability-awareness-activist-frank-larkin/) 1. ["Donegal man to represent disabled in European Palliament"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/02/06/donegal-man-to-represent-disabled-in-european-parliament-fgfgfgf/). 6 February 2012. 1. ["Frank gets top job"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2013/10/07/frank-gets-top-job-in-spina-bifida-ireland/). 7 October 2013. 1. ["Donegal disability campaigner to attend hate crime conference"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2014/03/13/donegal-disability-campaigner-to-attend-hate-crime-conference/). 13 March 2014. 1. ["Donegal disability campaigner vows to continue work after attending conference"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2014/03/28/donegal-disability-campaigner-vows-to-continue-work-after-attending-conference/). 28 March 2014. 1. Forker, Mark (16 April 2015). ["Donegal disability campaigner left horrified at repulsive posts left on Facebook page"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2015/04/16/donegal-disability-campaigner-left-horrified-at-repulsive-posts-left-on-local-facebook-page-2/) 1. "Deal appropriately with hate speech and images online relating to disability". *[Change.org](/source/Change.org)*. 2015. 1. Forker, Mark (22 April 2015). ["Trolls defeated as offensive Facebook page deactivated"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2015/04/22/trolls-defeated-as-offensive-local-facebook-page-is-deactivated/) 1. McCallig, Elaine (26 August 2016). ["Activist hits out at non-badge holders taking wheelchair \[*sic*\] spaces"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/08/26/disability-rights-activist-hits-out-at-non-badge-holders-taking-wheelchair-accesible-spaces/) 1. ["I don't need two tickets for Croke Park, says wheelchair-bound fan"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2011/08/18/i-dont-need-free-gaa-tickets-for-croke-park-says-wheelchair-bound-fan/). 18 August 2011. 1. ["Frank has disability allowance cut because he could not find a parking space"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2013/05/20/frank-has-disability-allowance-cut-because-he-could-not-find-parking-space/). 20 May 2013. 1. Maguire, Stephen (21 May 2013). ["Wheelchair user docked disability allowance"](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/wheelchair-user-docked-disability-allowance-1.1400691). *[The Irish Times](/source/The_Irish_Times)* 1. ["Victory for Frank! Wheelchair-user has disability allowance reinstated"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2013/05/22/victory-for-frank-wheelchair-user-has-disability-allowance-reinstated/). 22 May 2013. 1. ["No coherent plan for disabled in Budget 2014 says Donegal campaigner"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2013/05/22/victory-for-frank-wheelchair-user-has-disability-allowance-reinstated/). 22 May 2013. 1. McCallig, Elaine (26 January 2018). ["Campaigners secure wheelchair accessible parking at new courthouse"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2018/01/26/local-campaigners-secure-wheelchair-accessible-parking-at-new-letterkenny-courthouse/) 1. ["Election 2020: Sixteen Donegal polling stations do not have disability access"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/01/21/election-2020-sixteen-donegal-polling-stations-to-do-not-have-disability-access/). 21 January 2020. 1. ["Tributes paid following death of Frank Larkin"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200331223153/https://donegalnews.com/2020/03/tributes-paid-following-death-of-frank-larkin/). *[Donegal News](/source/Donegal_News)*. 27 March 2020. Archived from [the original](https://donegalnews.com/2020/03/tributes-paid-following-death-of-frank-larkin/) on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020. 1. Doherty, Diarmuid (27 March 2020). ["Shock and sadness at news of the death of Frank Larkin"](https://www.donegallive.ie/news/news/530121/shock-and-sadness-at-news-of-the-death-of-frank-larkin-letterkenny.html). *Donegal Live* 1. ["Parish says a fond farewell to the late Frank Larkin"](https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/03/29/parish-says-a-fond-farewell-to-the-late-frank-larkin/). 29 March 2020. 1. ["Death Notice of Frank Larkin (Jnr)"](https://rip.ie/death-notice/frank-larkin-jnr-letterkenny-donegal/417726). 27 March 2020. 1. ["Finn Harps pay tribute to club volunteer Frank Larkin"](https://www.highlandradio.com/2020/03/28/finn-harps-pay-tribute-to-club-volunteer-frank-larkin/). *[Highland Radio](/source/Highland_Radio)*. 28 March 2020. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Frank Larkin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Larkin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Larkin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.