Adam Harris is founder and CEO of AsIAm, Ireland’s national autism charity. He comes from Greystones, Co Wicklow, but lives in Dublin city centre with his fiancé, Daniel O’Driscoll. Interview by Sarah Caden
DESCRIBE YOUR PARENTS My parents are the people who set me on the pathway that I’ve had in life. My dad’s a taxi driver. My mum was an SNA. Like the parents of lots of autistic people, every opportunity I had that most parents don’t have to think twice about, whether it’s their child joining a local club or getting a school place, they had to fight for and they did that very effectively.
DID YOU FEEL LOVED? Yes. I have my older brother Simon (Minister for Higher Education) and my older sister, Gemma, and we are a very close family. But we also had a sense of love within the community in Greystones. We were involved in everything and my parents were on every committee. It was that sense of ‘it takes a village’ that’s important for every child, but particularly for autistic people or people with other differences. If we’re really serious about inclusion, it means that people need to grow up in a community that understands and accepts them.
DID YOUR SCHOOL MAKE A BIG IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE? I was at special school first, then I moved to mainstream school with the support of an SNA for five years, before attending secondary school independently. Having seen what it’s like from those three different perspectives means I can talk about what full inclusivity really means. I still have connections to all of the schools I went to. This weekend, I’m going for breakfast with my national school SNA. The principal who supported my integration in national school, Arlene Jackson, is on the board of AsIAm. My secondary school, St David’s in Greystones, was where I first made friends in the conventional sense, and where I had some amazing teachers. One in particular, Triona Brosnan, taught me public speaking and I’m still in touch with her on an almost weekly basis. For me, the opportunity to be educated in my community was incredibly important.
WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU’D GROW UP TO BE? Like a lot of autistic people, when I was younger, I often had special interests, when I focused intensely on something and wanted to learn everything about it. There would be six months when all I wanted to talk about was Aladdin and dinner had to be Aladdin-shaped spaghetti and there had to be an Aladdin duvet cover on the bed. And then overnight, triggered by the most random thing, a gift at a birthday party or something I saw on TV, the interest could just shift and I’d have no interest in Aladdin any more. That meant that growing up I had a very varied list of possible careers. I think that probably the most bizarre, particularly if you know me, was having my heart set on becoming a professional wrestler. But from about the age of 15 or 16, I wanted to work in the area of social change.
“I don’t tend to wear shoes a lot. If I’m speaking in public or in my office, I never have shoes on. The feel of the ground helps me to concentrate.”
DID YOUR PARENTS SUPPORT YOU TO BE AN ACTIVIST? I didn’t have pushy parents who tried to steer me down a particular pathway. When I went to UCD after secondary school, the transition was difficult and I found it quite overwhelming. At the same time, I set up AsIAm, and when it came to first-year exams, I had to choose whether to sit them or go on a retreat for social entrepreneurs and I chose to do the latter. Here I am, ten years on, running an organisation of 30 people and hopefully having a big impact. I’ve taken an unorthodox route, and without very supportive parents, that would not be possible.
WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE? There’s not too much competition: my mum. I’m also extremely close to my sister, Gemma, who is five years older than me.
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE OF GRIEF WAS … When I was around seven years old, and my mum’s father died. I probably processed it in a very logical way initially but then a few months later, got upset and understood the finality of it.
MY FRIENDSHIPS ARE … Incredibly important to me. In transition year, I bonded very closely with a group of friends with whom I’m still close. I have many autistic friends, mainly from the world of work, but in my school core-friend group I am, to my knowledge, the only autistic person.
HOW COULD MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH BE BETTER SUPPORTED? I come from a community where the suicide rate is nine times higher than in the general population. As a society, we’re very good at telling people that they should talk and this awareness is important, but we need to build on it. It’s one thing putting up the poster. But if you need to talk on a level that goes beyond a cup of coffee with a friend, are the services there to meet your needs? The reality is all too often that they’re not.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU DO TO KEEP YOU SANE? I’ve become a walking fanatic. I work in Blackrock, Co Dublin, but I live in Smithfield and I walk home every evening. It takes me about an hour and 40 minutes, during which time I can listen to two or three history podcasts. It helps me unwind and leave the day back at the office.
WHAT IS YOUR STYLE SIGNIFIER? I like shirts with flamboyant patterns. The tackier the better. Flowers, vibrant colours. They’re a hallmark at this stage.
I BUY MY CLOTHES WHEN … I get a nudge saying they’re washed out or I’ve gained or lost weight. I do one or two big sweeps per year, and only when I have to. I don’t shop for pleasure, definitely not.
MY FAVOURITE SHOES ARE … No shoes! I don’t tend to wear shoes a lot. If I’m speaking in public or in my office, I never have shoes on. The feel of the ground helps me to concentrate. I like to wear novelty socks though.
I RECENTLY READ… Joseph O’Connor’s My Father’s House. I read it in two days, couldn’t put it down.
I MOST RECENTLY LISTENED TO… The History Extra podcast. I love history. Every week, Daniel and I listen to Sunday Miscellany and Desert Island Discs.
WHAT IS THE HOLIDAY YOU’D LIKE TO REPEAT? Rome is my favourite city to visit. A history lover’s playground. I can never get enough of that place.
MY SIGNATURE DISH TO COOK IS … Roast chicken. I’ve learned a Jamie Oliver recipe and I just keep turning it out. Until last year, I wasn’t able to cook. Then we moved in to our apartment and I’ve been learning since.
MY PERFECT WEEKEND IS … Two nights in Greystones. Home is still my retreat in many respects. It’s still my safe haven.