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A seasoned sign language interpreter has described the emotional challenges that come with balancing the demands of her profession despite limited resources. Dr Sally Gillespie, who coordinates a new MA Interpreting program at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), highlighted the rising need for qualified interpreters in Northern Ireland. Although there are officially 44 registered Sign Language Interpreters in the region, the actual number of active professionals falls short of this figure. Dr Gillespie explained that the scarcity often forces interpreters into abrupt transitions between emotionally charged settings, such as assisting at a christening and then responding to a critical hospital emergency.
Dr Gillespie emphasized the ongoing struggle to match interpreter supply with demand, noting, “Demand has always outstripped supply.” Highlighting the importance of investing in future practitioners, she stated, “The opportunity to grow and invest in the next generation of interpreters has always been a struggle.” The recent introduction of the Sign Language Bill at Stormont aims to formally recognise British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL) in Northern Ireland. Supported by funding from the Department for Communities (DfC), the MA course at QUB was created to tackle the shortage of interpreters, with the first cohort expected to graduate next year.
Among the 17 students enrolled in the course is Caroline Doherty, a deaf individual fluent in both BSL and ISL. Motivated by her experiences supporting her community’s access to services, Caroline pursued formal accreditation. She remarked on the unique insight that deaf individuals bring to language and advocacy: “We can share our skills, learn from that and learn more about the interpreting profession.” The student body comprises a diverse mix of qualified and aspiring interpreters, both deaf and hearing, with Caroline being one of five deaf participants. She expressed the importance of feeling included and equal with her hearing classmates, stating, “I can’t explain how valuable this is. It’s the first course where I have felt equal with my hearing colleagues.” Caroline also shared frustrations about the frequent cancellation of her medical appointments due to a lack of interpreter availability, saying, “I don’t feel that’s right. I can’t live my life like that. I work full time. I contribute. I’m a taxpaying citizen. I should have the same rights as everybody else.”
Another student, Konrad Cheng, was inspired to enroll in the program in memory of his aunt, who was deaf and faced significant communication barriers throughout her life. He said, “She went her whole life without having proper access to communication,” and added, “No one really acknowledged or remembered her. I feel like this is a personal journey in remembering her life.” Despite initial feelings of being overwhelmed by the variety of students—from hearing to deaf and Irish Sign Language interpreters—Konrad described his experience as highly rewarding. He remarked, “I’m learning so much from my peers, from the qualified interpreters. I’m able to go to them and ask how they would do things in their career.”
Qualified interpreter Sarah Garvey also spoke about the profession’s emotional toll, describing it as an “emotional roller coaster.” She warned about the consequences of having too few interpreters, which often results in professionals taking on excessive workloads or working without adequate support. Ms Garvey recalled that out of the eight students in her graduating class from Trinity College Dublin in 2014, only four remain active in the field. Nevertheless, she remains optimistic about the future: “There’s a lot of different experiences, opportunities, and perspectives, but I hope as a cohort we’ll be able to make a difference for the community going forward.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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