Deaf Enterprises is Ireland’s only dedicated employer of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community.

Founded in 1987 by Fr. Bill Clarke, our charity (CH. 8730) was set up to tackle the high rates of unemployment among Cork’s deaf community but has subsequently grown throughout its history to provide training and placement opportunities. We have been a proud part of Cork’s deaf community for over 30 years.

Four EU Horizon projects successfully completed: 1. Furniture Manufacturing 2. Motor School for deaf people 3. Ten sign-language interpreters and three tutors trained to Diploma level. 4. Jobnet Consortium – participation of disabled people in the workforce. Our fundraising goes towards further developments and to improve our facilities for the future. Your support is very much welcome and appreciated.

We launched our workshop in 1988 providing re-upholstery, sewing, French Polishing and furniture manufacturing and restoration.

We received training approval from FÁS in 1989 and charitable status and incorporation as a limited company in 1989. Sign-Language and English are used for communication in the workshop. Over 100 deaf people have taken part in the employment, training and work experience initiatives of the company since we began and most of these have go on to work elsewhere. New showroom opened on 6th July 1998. New offices opened in January 2000 for our own administration and to offer secretarial services to the locality.