Braille - A Year of Celebrations
Release Date: Jan 6th, 2009
4th January 2009 was the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, the man responsible for inventing the raised dot alphabet. The importance of Braille will be a key talking point at all of our events throughout the year. Find out how we're planning to celebrate Louis Braille's life throughout 2009.
- Find out more about Louis Braille
- Find out more about Braille
- Discover what Braille looks like and request a Braille copy of the alphabet.
NCBI Press Release
Read NCBI’s press release which calls on government for new investment in funding for our Braille library services.
Commemorative Braille Stamp
As part of its bi-centenary celebration, An Post in collaboration with NCBI has produced a commemorative braille stamp, which was launched on 23rd January. Braille characters have been used on the face of the 55 cent stamp, which also contains the dates of Louis Braille’s life (1809 to 1852). A commemorative first day collectors envelope is also available. Further information on the stamp and envelope can be found at www.irishstamps.ie.
Events and Activities
Braille will be a key talking point at all of our events throughout the year.
The Importance of Braille in Everyday Life
Braille offers hundreds of people who are blind and vision impaired in Ireland the opportunity to be independent, to learn and to discover the joy of reading.
As part of our celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, NCBI asked some Braille readers to let us know how important Braille is to their everyday lives and what they might say to Louis Braille if he were alive today. Find out what they said.
We would love to hear from you if you would like to tell us about the importance of Braille in your everyday life. If you want to share your experiences please contact us on email: info@ncbi.ie or call Niamh Connolly, Information Officer on Locall 1850 33 43 53.
Awards Ceremony - 25th February
NCBI held a high profile event which marked the achievements of vision impaired graduates from the NCBI’s Rehabilitation Training Centre in Dublin.
NCBI has been running rehabilitation programmes for over a decade to enable people who are blind and vision impaired to retain or regain their independence and to meet the challenges of sight loss. Our rehabilitation course provides training in a diverse range of skills including literacy and Braille.
Find out more about the awards ceremeny.
Dancing Dots
NCBI's Rehabilitation Training Centre in conjunction with Dancing Dots held two music workshops on Friday 10th July.
The first workshop gave a demonstration on ways to produce high quality Braille music and print scores that will enable musicans who are blind and vision impaired to read notation and listen to print scores on the go. The second workshop demonstrated how to record, mix and master a professional audio production from start to finish. There was a great turnout on the day.
Saleem Ur Rahman - Winner of Excellent Works Prize
NCBI promoted a European Braille Essay Competition run by the European Blind Union on behalf of Onkyo Co. Ltd. and Tenji Mainichi again this year.
Saleem Ur Rahman, who submitted an essay to represent Ireland, has won the "Excellent Works Prize" for his essay. On reading Saleem's essay, it was uplifting to find that braille is alive and well. Through personal experience, he tells his story of how braille empowers him and improves his life. Read Saleem's essay.
Fun Braille Day
In November 2009, NCBI will be holding our annual Fun Braille Day. This day is all about having fun while reading Braille and aims to promote Braille and raise awareness about its importance. Participants will be aged between 7 to 20 years. Readers of Grade 1 and Grade 2 Braille will be catered for. For further information please contact the Library and Media Centre on Tel: 01 8642266.
NCBI to Exhibit at Discovery 2009
Discovery 2009, Cork’s Interactive Science Exhibition’, will be held in Cork City Hall this November as part of Science Week Ireland. NCBI has been invited to set up an exhibit about Braille at this event which offers us another great opportunity to promote Braille as part of our Louis Braille yearly celebrations. Find out more about this event at www.corkcity.ie/discovery.
NCBI lends Santa a helping hand!
You might not know this but Santa Claus is a proficient Braille reader! This year Santa and the elves are so busy responding to millions of children’s letters from around the world that he has asked NCBI to help him send large print, Braille and audio letters to boys and girls who are blind or vision impaired in Ireland.
Children will receive a beautiful card with large print and a lovely decoration to be cut out, coloured in and placed on the Christmas tree. A Braille insert will be sent to children who are Braille readers, with a CD for those who prefer to listen to Santa’s response, along with an embossed image of the Christmas tree decoration.
As NCBI will be helping Santa out with his replies, children should send their letters to Santa Claus, NCBI Library and Media Centre, Unit 29 Finglas Business Centre, Jamestown Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 or by email to santa@ncbi.ie.
To give Santa enough time to reply before Christmas, letters must reach him by the 14th December.
Please ensure you include the child’s name, address and whether they would like a reply in Braille, large print or audio.
This project has been kindly sponsored by An Post.
NCBI Braille Services
Discover what NCBI is doing everyday to provide resources in braille for people in the Ireland.
NCBI Media Centre
Our Media Centre transcribes information, from pamphlets to utility bills, into Braille for a range of public and private organisations. It also offers Braille Training to the Pharmaceutical Sector.
Read more about the NCBI Media Centre Services
NCBI Library Services
NCBI Library service is Ireland’s foremost audio, large print and Braille book library for people who are blind or vision impaired.
We offer a wide range of braille books, newspapers and magazines to registered members throughout the country, free of charge through the postal system.
We specialise in the production of Irish interest titles in Braille. In addition to the 3,500 Braille titles that are available in our library, we have access to many Braille titles from libraries around the world.
Find out more about NCBI’s Library services for Braille readers.
NCBI Rehabilitation Training Centre
NCBI’s Rehabilitation Training Centre teaches participants to use braille to read and write. Find out more about our Training Centre
Braille or tactile aid and appliances
NCBI has a large selection of Braille and tactile products that aim to making daily life easier for people who are blind or vision impaired. From Braille diaries, organisers, calendars, pill dispensers and board games, we have a extensive range of products to choose from. Find out more on our online shop or by contacting us on Locall 1850 33 43 53.
Stay tuned for more exciting news about our celebration of Braille in 2009.
Louis Braille Celebrations Around the World
Find out what other organisations are doing to celebrate Louis's 200th birthday around the world.