About the Organisation and Board of Directors

Lámh (Communication Augmentation Sign System CLG) develops, promotes and maintains the Lámh sign system and Lámh training. Grant-aided by the Department of Health via the HSE and registered with the Charities Regulator, Lámh is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors.

Lámh signs can help a child or an adult to communicate

Woman Signing Lámh for "Help" wearing a maroon shirt on a white background

The Role of Lámh (the organisation)

Lámh’s role is to develop, promote and maintain LÁMH as an augmentative and alternative system of communication in Ireland.

Objectives include:

  • Co-ordinating dissemination of information about Lámh
  • Maintaining standards for Lámh signing
  • Co-ordinating and monitoring implementation of existing Lámh training packages
  • Overseeing development of new training packages and resources
  • Monitoring standards and guidelines around use of training packages and materials
  • Developing policies and procedures regarding Lámh Training
Group of people sitting in a wooden hall with arched ceilings

Governance, Funding & Outreach

  • Lámh is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors, governing the Lámh Development Office.
  • The Lámh Team is made up of full and part time roles including Mary Cullen - Manager, Caroline O'Shea Administrator and operations, Carmel Carroll - Communications & Project Officer, and is supported by a social media team, Caroline Maxwell and Deirdre Coleman (Instagram). From time to time Project Teams work with Lámh, including a Schools Project team and Adult Project Lead.
  • Lámh is grant-aided by the HSE.
  • Lámh is registered with the Charities Regulator and is compliant with the Charities Act.
  • Lámh is endorsed by Down Syndrome Ireland and the Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists.
  • The Department of Education rolls out a number of Lámh training courses each year for teachers, and AIM Better Start has been rolling out courses for pre-school workers who are supporting Lámh users. Families, teachers, SNAs, pre-school workers and many others learn Lámh signs each year, so that they can support Lámh users to communicate and to be included in schools.

Board of Directors

  • Lorna Barrett
  • Gráinne de Paor
  • Ciaran Duffy
  • Frances Fletcher
  • Teresa Gadd
  • Suzanne Guerin
  • Una Sharry
  • Eleanor Stanton
Child holding a trophy in front of a colorful mural with two adults standing behind.

Our Recent Milestones and Developments

Read about the milestones, achievements and growth of the Lámh signing system over the last few years.  Each milestone demonstrates our commitment to supporting people to communicate.

  1. 2022 - 2025

    Dizzy Deliveries TV Series 3 launched November 2025

    Dizzy Deliveries Series 1 with Lámh signs first aired in October 2022 on RTÉJnr. There are now 3 Series available on the RTÉ Player. It features Joe, Aisling and Ozzy who each week are joined by a young person who helps Joe to make deliveries around the country, to the zoo, the farm, the bakery and many more places besides! Each episode, Aisling (played by Lámh Tutor Deirdre Coleman), teaches us 3 Lámh signs and many more signs are used throughout the shows.

  2. 2021

    Lámh Online Training launched

    The Module One Lámh course became fully available online, ensuring that this certified Lámh training can be accessed in all areas, with flexible options that fit around the person’s availability. The course trains participants in 100 Lámh signs as well as practical knowledge about communication support and using Lámh signs in every day settings.

  3. 2020 - 2021

    The 'Lovelamh' campaign offered free access to Lámh Signs Online for everyone

    The 'Lovelamh' campaign offered free access to Lámh Signs Online for everyone for the first months of Covid-19 restrictions, while schools and services were closed. Module One, Little Lámh and Family Lámh Courses were offered on Zoom and other platforms. The Little Lámh for Sports Workshop was created.

  4. 2019

    New Lámh signs for sports, technology and more were added

  5. 2018-2019

    Lámh-a-Song 2 launched

    Lámheen is joined by young signers adding new songs to the very popular Lámh-a- Song 1. AVailable on DVD and download, featuring Mr. Sun, Twinkle Twinkle and lots more. A Lámh Schools Project begins. Lámh gets an Instagram account. 86 new Lámh signs are added to the vocabulary.

  6. 2016-2017

    Lámh Time App wins Best App at the Irish Digital Media Awards

    Lámh Time App wins Best App at the Irish Digital Media Awards. Research about Lámh is carried out by St. Angela's College Sligo, and COPE Foundation Cork and are presented at a Lámh Research Seminar in Dublin.

  7. 2015

    Little Lámh App for iPad launched

  8. 2014

    Module One Add-on and Little Lámh Workshops launched

    Module One Add-on for Communication Partners of Children and Little Lámh Workshop and book launched. Largest ever class of Lámh Tutors trained.

  9. 2012-2013

    Lámh Signs Online, a digital library of Lámh signs

    Providing sign videos to everyone who attends a Lámh Course. QQI Level 5 Using Lámh in a Total Communication Approach becomes available, providing nationally recognised accredited training in Lámh.

Communication and Rights

Every person has the right to communicate in whatever way they choose. All fors of communication must be respected and valued equally.

Lámh supports children and adults to engage with and contribute to their communities, and to be active citizens. A shared communication system, is fundamental to accessing all rights including: those enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Family of four in front of a colorful mural