'It made me more determined' - Longford MD Cathaoirleach shares his dyslexia journey
The new Longford MD Cathaoirleach, Kevin Hussey, has shared his experience of growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia
As Kevin Hussey accepted the chain of office as Cathaoirleach of Longford Municipal District last month, it marked a milestone that his childhood self would never have imagined was possible.
Growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia, school became such a daily struggle for Kevin that he left education early, fully believing his future would be limited after a teacher told him he would amount to nothing.
Having battled the challenges presented by dyslexia, the new Cathaoirleach now hopes that by sharing his story, it will reassure others experiencing the difficulty of a similar situation.
“Looking back now, one of the hardest parts of growing up with dyslexia was not knowing what was wrong,” Kevin tells the Longford Leader.
If you have dyslexia or if you are struggling in work/school, I want you to know this: never let it define you and never let it hold you back.
“I knew I was struggling, but I couldn’t understand why learning seemed so much harder for me than everyone else. Thankfully, my mam never gave up fighting for me. She pushed to get me the help and diagnosis I needed, and I will always be grateful for that.”
“Throughout my life, dyslexia often made me doubt myself and in truth it was one of the reasons I hesitated in taking on this role (in politics), because I would question whether or not I was good enough.”
He continued, “If you have dyslexia or if you are struggling in work/school, I want you to know this: never let it define you and never let it hold you back.”
“Once you put your mind to something, you can achieve it. I still remember a teacher telling me I would amount to nothing but I would like to think that I have I proved that teacher wrong.”
Alongside his mother, Sandra and father, Kevin, Kevin also credits Sister Benedict of Longford’s Convent of Mercy as someone who had a significant influence on his life, helping him to tackle learning challenges head on and build confidence in his abilities.
Kevin recalls, “I can still remember it like it was yesterday. Every Wednesday after school, I’d spend two hours with her. Before we’d even start, she’d make me a cup of tea and give me a bun to help me relax.”
“Then we’d get stuck into learning, and when I was leaving she’d always have a little bag of sweets waiting for me. It wasn’t just the extra help with reading and writing that made the difference, it was the kindness, patience and belief she showed in me. She made me feel that I could achieve something.”
He adds, “Secondary school was probably my biggest challenge. Back then, there were A and B classes, and I was placed in the B class for certain subjects. As a young person, that was difficult. It often felt like you were being labelled because you learned differently. Looking back, I know teachers did their best with the resources they had, but it affected my confidence at the time.”
Adding that there wasn’t the level of understanding and support back then that there is today, his difficulties often made him feel overlooked.
“In many ways,” he said, “I was simply put to the back of the classroom.”
“Thankfully things have changed. There is far more support in our schools, far more understanding, more guidance and more opportunities for young people who learn differently.
With a successful career in local politics, dyslexia has not deterred the new Cathaoirleach from progressing. He now hopes his story will offer reassurance to others facing the same difficulties.
“I still face challenges every day because of dyslexia, but the difference now is that there are so many tools and supports available to help with reading, writing and spelling,” he says, “I’ve learned that dyslexia doesn’t define what you can achieve. If anything, it has made me more determined.”
“Today, I’m proud to serve as a councillor, to run a business, and to show that having dyslexia should never stop anyone from reaching their goals. If sharing my story helps even one young person or one parent realise that there is support available and that things do get better, then it’s worth telling. My door is always open to anyone living with dyslexia, or to any parent looking for advice or reassurance. If my experience can help someone else, I’m more than happy to do that.”