Maynooth Students engage with Blindfold Sports Inclusion challenge at the launch of the annual Charity Galway Cycle 2019
In October the Maynooth students for Charity selected Vision Sports Ireland as the beneficiary for funds to be raised on the Galway cycle 2019. Vision Sports aims is to improve the lives of visually impaired and blind people by enabling them to fully participate fully in and derive health benefits from sport.
On Thursday 15th October the Maynooth students for Charity held a sports event to create awareness around sport participation for visually impaired and blind students. Students on campus had the opportunity to get involved in blindfolded sports including tandem cycling, soccer, golf and running workshops. “It was definitely more challenging than I imagined when wearing the blindfold” said one eager participant
The event was well attended thanks to the help of Paul Davis, Maynooth University Sports Officer, Name (Tandem expert), Joan Ryan, (blind runner trainer), students and Galway cycle supporters. Aaron O’Neill, Kildare GAA goalkeeper happily stood in the goals of Blind Football pitch set up on campus by the FAI.
Well known Maynooth man Joe Geraghty is the National Sport Development officer for Vision Sports Ireland, he has been working to promote this charity for over 30 years.
“This was a fantastic opportunity to create awareness and give visually impaired students the same opportunities to get involved in sport early in life. Sport participation will improve their wellbeing, self esteem and increase their overall confidence”
“Our aim is to build sport and leisure activity participation for young blind and vision impaired people. Within three years we aim to increase sport participation by blind and vision impaired children and youth by more than 150%” says Joe
In attendance of the official launch for the Galway Cycle 2019 were Philip Nolan, President of Maynooth University and 3 Times Galway cyclist, Finbar Roche, Chairman of Vision Sports Ireland, Declan Kennedy, Brady’s Clockhouse and sponsor of the annual Galway cycle.
The cycle itself takes place from 5th-7thApril 2019. Up to 200 cyclists and 60 support crew leave Maynooth University early Friday morning, arriving in Eyre square Galway that evening. The cyclists return home to a huge Maynooth welcome on Sunday evening.