Sport and Recreation
Summary: Below you will find details of organisations that facilitate those who are blind or visually impaired to take an active part in sports and recreational activities.
Irish Blind Sports (IBS)
Address:
Irish Blind Sports,
1 Christchurch Hall,
High Street,
Dublin 8.
Tel: 085 850 0193
Email: pam@ibsports.ie
Website: www.ibsports.ie
Contact: Pam Robinson
Services:
To facilitate individuals who are blind or vision impaired to participate in competitive sports and recreational activities of their choice. Irish Blind Sports want people with vision impairment to become active within the sporting activity of their choice alongside their sighted peers, but where minor adaptations are required, to be able to provide advice and guidance to individuals, coaches and clubs as appropriate. Irish Blind Sports are active in a number of sports but the opportunities and range of activities is restricted only by the individual’s own willingness to try.
If you are interested in taking part in any of the sports listed below, simply make contact with Irish Blind Sports and they will introduce you to the relevant people coordinating that activity. No previous experience necessary!
Archery
Jim Conroy: 086 107 1862
Competitive Futsal Football
Robert Moore: rmooreibs@o2.ie
Golf
Paul O’Rahilly: paul.orahilly@gmail.com
Recreational Football
Warren McDonald: batfinkmcd@yahoo.co.uk
Swimming
Frank Cullinan: frankcullinan@yahoo.ie
Ten-pin Bowling
Jim Harding: jharding@iol.ie
Please email info@ibsports.ie for all activities listed below:
- Adventure Activities
- Angling
- Athletics
- Climbing Wall
- Equestrianism
- Judo
- Lawn Bowling
- Tandem Cycling
- Water-skiing
- Goalball
Irish Blind Golf Society
For anyone interested in learning golf or renewing an interest in the game, full coaching facilities are available to golfers with vision impairments at the Spawell Golf Centre, Templeogue, Dublin. It is also the intention of the Irish Blind Golf Society to organise groups of interested people at various locations throughout Ireland such as Cork, Galway, Sligo and Donegal. If you are interested in learning golf within your immediate area, please contact Jimmy Murray:
Tel: 01 450 5237 (evenings)
Email: murray211@eircom.net
Braille Chess Association of Ireland
The Braille Chess Association promotes chess among people with vision impairments. The Association organises teams to represent Ireland at international chess events.
Tel: 01 407 2300 (office hours)
E-mail: pdoyle@nationalarchives.ie
Website: Braille Chess Association of Ireland
Contact: Philip Doyle
National League of the Blind
The National League of the Blind has a thriving social club. Members take part in debates, lectures, quiz games, language courses, wine tasting courses, traditional music evenings, etc.
Address:
National League of the Blind,
21 Hill Street,
Dublin 1
Tel: 01 874 2792
Fax: 01 878 7139
Walking Group
Hill walks are organised once a month (Saturdays) during the winter and weekly and monthly during the summer to County Wicklow. Sometimes historical walks are also organised.
Tel: 01 608 2992 / 677 2941 (during working hours)
Contact: Theresa Lavin
Inland Fisheries Ireland (Angling)
Inland Fisheries Ireland has put together an angling guide for people with disabilities in Ireland.
Address:
Inland Fisheries Ireland,
Swords Business Campus,
Swords,
Co. Dublin.
Tel: 01 884 2600
Email: info@fisheriesireland.ie
Website: Inland Fisheries Ireland
British Disabled Angling Association
The British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA) was founded in 1996 by Terry Moseley to help develop opportunities for people with disabilities to access the activity of fishing in the UK.
The organisation now has 24,500 members and aims to inform people about how accessible angling is becoming in the UK.
Address:
British Disabled Angling Association,
9 Yew Tree Road,
Delves,
Walsall,
West Midlands,
WS5 4NQ,
England
Tel: 0044 1922 860 912
Email: terry@bdaa.co.uk
Website: British Disabled Angling Association