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To the waters and the wild with Irish Blind Sports

    Aviva Stadium Tickets for Blind and Visually Impaired

    There are a number of seats reserved for visually impaired patrons at the stadium. I have been asked that if patrons wish to apply for tickets for these seats could they write to Carl O’Brien at the IRFU at the address below
    If you have not applied previously you should include something like a letter from a GP or the National Council for the Blind or from Irish Blind Sports.
    Tickets are priced according to the area of the stadium in which they are seated. Ticket for an accompanying attendant is complimentary.

    Carl O’Brien
    Irish Rugby Football Union
    10-12 Lansdowne Road | Ballsbridge | Dublin 4
    Tel:+353 1 647 3800 Fax: +353 1 647 3847
    Email: carl.obrien@IRFU.IE

    Ticketmaster are still to inform us regarding ticketing allocation for non sporting events. Soccer tickets are available through the FAI Disabled Supporters Club arrangements previously circulated.

    Rowing

    We have been approached by a visually impaired rower, Aron O Dowd, who would like to establish a visually impaired rowing team that could compete in
    rowing regattas with sighted peers. People with vision impairment can participate in team boats alongside sighted colleagues. The Rowing Union also have been very proactive in wanting to promote rowing among vision impaired and blind people. It’s suitable for everyone young and old. Two vision impaired rowers competed in the adaptive rowing team at the rowing world championships in October.

    Contact Aron on digiboyaron@aol.com or IBS at
    info@ibsports.ie

    Waterskiing Enabled

    Slicing across the boat wake on skis with your eyes closed – wow! The Carrig Waterski & Wakeboard Club held a Specialised training weekend in October,
    in conjunction with Irish Blind Sports. Ten blind and vision impaired people aged from 10 years to, well,more than that, took part. The instructors employ a
    range of techniques, including triple bar, dual rope and boom to accompany each skier out of the water.

    The more experienced skiers were guided by voice or whistle signals. “It was truly a great weekend, with great company, fab conditions and great fun had by all. We’re already looking forward to waterskiing next year!”
    — Mark Kehoe.

    For those interested in participating in the Irish Blind Sports Waterski Weekends at Carrig Waterski & Wakeboard Club in 2011, contact Dave
    Waldron at d.waldron@ucc.ie. See also www.
    carrigwaterski.com

    Sailing Programme

    Blind and visually impaired people went to the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday 25th September 2010 to try sailing. A mixed group of children and adults attended and had a lovely day sailing. There was opportunity to sail in dinghy boats for one or two people and verbal guidance was provided from the nearby rigid inflatable boat. There was also the opportunity to go out on the open sea in a couple of cruising yachts.
    We are grateful to all those who have helped during the season to enable us to offer sailing as an activity and hope to build on this in the future. Special thanks to Sandra Garvey Dyson, Ted Squire and also to Pat McCool of Shannon Sailing and to all those who helped out at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire for their support and encouragement of our sailing group. Next year we hope to offer even more sailing.

    Keep the following date in mind for next year -Blind National Championships 2011, 20th to 22nd May 2011 Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington, Ipswich, England
    Contact Sandra on wildgoose@iol.ie

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