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Wed 25 January 12

TOP STORIES

Missed Colm on TV? Watch Our President, Colm Murray – MND The Inside Trackollow Colm’s journey with MND. See homepage below.

Eugene Delany Joins IBS Board – AGM Set for 21st April. See homepage below …

Internship Opportunity Knocks at Paralympics Ireland Click Here

Breaking News – New e-news bulletin hot off the shelf. See homepage below …

This Site is Your Site, This Site is Our Site – send us news, reviews, reports, blog as this site is made for you and we. See homepage below to sing with us from the same songsheet…

Goodbye St. Joseph’s, Hello ChildVision. St. Joseph’s in Drumcondra gets new name, see new logo above. Click here for full story

The Video to Enable Swimming – Irish Blind Sports launch new swimming video. See homepage below…

New Nationlal Leauge of the Blind website. Click here for full story

Launch of Irish Paralympians Club – Calling all of you who have represented Ireland at Paralympic Games Click Here

New Year Football for All at Kilcock Celtic Click Here

MORE LONDON 2012 PARALYMPIC GAMES TICKETS NOW ON SALE Click Here

Listen and Ski! Come and Try at Kiltiernan Click Here

Opportunity Knocks for VI Soccer Children – Football for All Coaching Kicks Off. Click Here

May Games Replay – Michael Lavin Remembers. See homepage, below



Tue 24 January 12

Your Diary Dates

Snow Ski-ing – Saturday 28th January, 11 AM, Kiltiernan, Dublin. Email: info@ibsports.ie

Walking – Sunday, 29th January 29th, Clontarf to Baldoyle. Assemble at Clontarf DART station at 2:00 p.m. and proceeding along the seafront to the Elf Inn in Baldoyle. Click New League Website

Canoeing – Saturday, 14th April, Leixlip Lakes, Kildare.. Email: info@ibsports.ie

Irish Blind Sports AGM – Saturday 21st April, Dublin. Details to follow.

European Congress of Adapted Physical Activity – 6-8 May – Kerry. www.eucapa2012.eu/



Tue 24 January 12

Missed Colm on TV?

Watch Our President, Colm Murray - MND The Inside Track

On Monday 23rd January RTE1 TV broadcast an excellent documentary on Colm Murray, the much loved broadcaster and president of Irish Blind Sports.

To view the braodcast on the RTE Player Click Here

Colm is an inspiration to all as he battles with Motor Neuron Disease. During the hour long documtary Colm tells us of how the cards he now chooses to play are to be postive and assist research into MND. We all benefit from watching Colm, from Colm’s positive actions.

RTE Player has many Colm Murray broadcasts available at present. Why not cheer yourself up and listen to Colm’s most recent radio interview? On Monday 2nd January last Colm was interviewed by Colm O’Rourke in front of a live audience. The interview is inspiring and very, very funny. Colm gives us the inside story on how a Coalition Government was formed (a lot to do with whiskey and Cheltenham). He also tells us of the magic of horses eating silvermints (WADA, World Anti Doping Agency, should turn a deaf ear here). Irish Blind Sports member, former Board member, Tom Quinn also get honourable mention.

The RTE Radio One programme was produced by Colm’s great friend Robbie Irwin. Treat Yourself and Click Here



Sat 21 January 12

Follow Us On Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and through our new E-Newsletter

Follow Irish Blind Sports on Facebook …Click Here

Like Irish Blind Sports on Twitter … https://twitter.com/ and find ibsportsireland

Checkout our new video on YouTube. In one moment in time you can find out all you ever wanted to know about Irish Blind Sports but you were afraid to ask … Click Here

To receive a copy of the new Irish Blind Sports newsletter contact Pam at Email: info@ibsports.ie



Sat 21 January 12

Euguen Delany Joins Irish Blind Sports

Latest News From the Board Room

A very warm welcome to our new Irish Blind Sports Board member Euguen Delany. Eugene, a lecturer by profession, has specific interest in communications. Somehow, we think Eugene will greatly influence our website here as well as our output on Facebook, Twwitter and YouTube. We look forward to working with you Euguen to create awareness of this wonderful world of sport for blind and visually impaired.

The 2012 AGM will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 21st April in central Dublin. Formal notifications and full details to follow in early spring. Meanwhile, put the date in your diary. Aside from the necessary formalities our AGMs are usually very sociable affairs. When the sun goes down on our AGM the members come out to play!

To join, or renew membership, of Irish Blind Sports clinc on the “Join Irish Blind Sports” button at top of this page for instant registration and payment. Standard annual membership costs a tenner, the same price as your average download cd, ebook or fish and chips.

The IBS Board of Directors is now as follows:

Michael Clarke (Chairperson),
Robert Dobbyn (Assistant Chairperson),
Eamon Delany,
George Hellis,
Ann Lyster,
Tony Lyster,
Fintan O’Donnell.

Please follow the links below to download last year’s Financial Statements and Chairmans Annual report as well as the Management Information Report (Accounts Summary).

Click here to download Annual Report >>

Click here to download Draft Financial Statements >>

Click here to download Management Financial Breakdown - 2011 AGM >>



Tue 10 January 12

Breaking News from Irish Blind Sports

New e-news bulletin hot off the shelf

Be the first to know what’s happening at Irish Blind Sports and register for our new E-News newsletter.

Edited by our office administrator Pam Robinson the January edition tells us of our Top Ten for Paralympics 2012. Also in this edition details of Ireland’s hosting of a major internatioal disabled conference, the re-branding of St. Joseph’s School for VI as well as news on football, ski-ing and canoeing.

We can all join Pam’s People. Contact Pam by
Email: info@ibsports.ie



Mon 09 January 12

Our Website Mantra

This Site Is Your Site

Let’s all join in with our brand new ibsports.ie signature song …

Chorus:

This site is your site, this site is our site
From tandem cycling, to tenpin bowling
From archery and chess to goalball rolling
This site was made for you and we

As we go into a brand new year
We see Paralympics and lots to cheer
We saw ahead of us a golden summer/fall
This site was made for us all

Chorus

This site is your site, this site is our site
From futsal and football, to water skiing
From running and jumping to some golf teeing
This site was made for you and we

We’ve roamed and rambled from Beijing to the UK
To the sparkling sands of the Canary Islands
And all around us a voice was sounding
This site was made for you and we

Chorus

This site is your site, this site is our site
From canoeing and angling, to climbing walls
From riding horses to judo halls
This site was made for you and we

All toghether now for the final chorus …

This site is your site, this site is our site
It’s up you head to send us reports and info
We don’t give a damn whether you write to Joe or Pam
As this site was made for you and we



Mon 19 December 11

Reasons To Be Cheerful

Golden Year for Irish Sport

In an amazing year for Irish sport Rory McIlroy, Giovanni Trapattoni, the Leinster rugby team and Jack Kyle were among those honoured at the RTÉ Sports Awards in association with the Irish Sports Council on Sunday night.

In 2011 Irish sports stars have won two golf majors, the Rugby Heineken Cup, beaten Austrailia in World Cup Rugby and qualified for the 2012 European soccer cup. Add to this a ring load of boxing World and Euro medals, World and European Paralympic success, European Cross country athletics gold, several national swim records, Special Olympics gold and multiple grade one horse racing titles. 2011 also saw top performances in cycling and tennis and you still won’t have the full story. It was also the year of the Dubs, Kilkenny, Shamrock and Sligo Rovers.

It looks as if it may have been a record year for Irish Blind Spors elite athletes too. We may see our biggest representation ever at the 2012 Paralympic Games with almost certain places in adaptive rowing, swimming, athletics and paracycling.

We’re living in a golden era of Irish sport. Treasure every moment.

Above photo of Rory McElroy with his new RTE/Sports Council of Ireland Sports Personality of the Year extracted from RTE.IE.



Sun 18 December 11

The Final May Games Replay

Michael Lavin remembers

The May Games – our annual multi-sports centrepiece – is out for the count. Is it the final whistle? Extra time? How about a replay? Yes, we have a May Games Replay here …but this is the last one! Michael Lavin recalls…

MICHAEL LAVIN – Founding member and organiser of National League of the Blind Walking Group. Current Chariman of the National League of the Blind, the body who organised and sponsored the first games in 1981

“Not being very actively involved in sport, I don’t have many May Games memories but I do have a related anecdote concerning Pat Kelly. In the late ‘70s Pat worked as a darkroom technician out in Finglas. Pat and a group of lads with poor vision, used go up to St. Joseph’s School in Drumcondra to practise on their running track. This training usually occurred in the late evening and the lads had difficulty seeing, and staying, on the track. Pat got a brainwave! In his job they had hundreds of photographs which were being discarded. Pat took these and laid them down with the white side upwards and formed a white line along the length of the track. No excuse now for not towing the line. Ingenious wasn’t it?
“.

In the event that we return to this series you can share a memory with us too. Have a chat with Pam Robinson – contact details below and elsewhere on this site – or talk to Joe at 0876181235 or click WriteToJoe

Click here to download Only Yesterday - The First May Games >>

Click here to download Remembering those no longer with us >>

Click here to download 1981 What's Another Year >>



Tue 13 December 11

The Video to Enable Swimming

IBS launch new swimming video

Today we officially launch our last 2011 sports video featuring our core sport of swimming.

It’s over 50 years now since the Variety Club of Ireland built swimming pools at St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s Schools for the Blind in Dublin. While the St. Mary’s pool is no longer in operation the St. Joseph’s one – albeit under a new name in the new year – is still actively used.

Our first organised adult leisure swim sessions began in Dublin in 1979 and have been ongoing ever since, despite the high economic costs.

To test the waters with our swimm video Click Swim Here. You can also view the full version at Click More Swimming Here

While you’re there you might also like to checkout our athletics video. Athletics was so popular in the early days of organised sport for visually impaired here that they say we could run before we could walk! Yes, athletics was the rock on which Irish Blind Sports was founded.

Irish Blind Sports have more than the vision to enable sports, we have the video to enable the sport of running too!

Today, Irish Blind Sports launch the second of several videos demonstrating how blind and visually impaired people perform various sports.

In this video we see blind and visually impaired runners perform solo sprints and guided middle distance running.

To go to the start line for the quick view Click Here For The Short Run. If you wish to see the longer version Click Here For The Long Run

In our first video, launched on 16 November IBS Director Fintan O’Donnell meets the members of the Irish Blind Golf Society who demonstrate the basics.

Go on, get into the swing and take a moment or two to view:
Click Here for IBS GOLF VIDEO
ew.

Well, do you think its above par? Please let us know what you think.



Sat 08 October 11

Our Site Insight

New Features on ibsports.ie

We are delighted to announce yet more new features on ibsports.ie – the site that never sleeps!

• MEMBERSHIP: From today you can now Join Irish Blind Sports online. For a tenner, or a fiver for juniors, you can join us now, or renew you membership now. You may use your PaypPal account now, setup a PayPal account now, or just fill in standard payment details now. Sure what better way to spend a fiver or two? Checkout the link box “Join Irish Blind Sports” tab at top of this page.

• DONATIONS: From today you can now donate to Irish Blind Sports online. You may use your PaypPal account, setup a PayPal account, or just fill in standard payment details. Every cent donated to Irish Blins Sports will go directly into the development of sports and recreational activities for blind and visually impaired people in Ireland. Checkout the link box “Donate to Irish Blind Sports” tab at top of this page.

• IBS VIDEO LAUNCH: Today we launch our new “All About Irish Blind Sports” video on YouTube. Written, narrated, edited and produced by our Director Fintan O’Donnell this video is a must see. Click Here . Also, checkout our updated links tab at top of page to see a new section especially setup up for top blind/vi video links.

Coming soon to this site we have a new series called “Outasight!” where we ask: where are they now? We track down old friends from yesteryear. We can already tell you, we have some intriguing stories!

Also, coming soon, is our new “No Stamp Required” series where we re-print emails and feedback from our post-box. We get some really good mail, why not join in and post us a comment? Series to start very soon. Lookup the Contact Us tab at top of page.

Don’t forget our regular sports updates, our May Games Replay series as well as out Dublin Marathon blog (now in its final weeks). Click on our Gallery tab at top of page to see who we snapped lately.

Finally, to cheer you up, we have a new feature on this news page to celebrate all that is good in Irish sport. We dip into our fellow national governing bodys’ sites to find the latest Irish sporting success. We started this last month by celebrating the Dubs. We moved on to Europe’s Sondheim Cup victory and then to Ireland rugby success against Italy. Now, we have moved on to John Joe Nevin’s World Boxing medal. Who’s next?

Finally, finally, you can find, follow and like Irish Blind Sports on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.



Thu 06 October 11

3rd CampAbilities Programme Set for Spring 2012

The CARA Centre in Tralee are lining up to run the 3rd CampAbilities programme in the Spring of 2012. They are currently seeking ‘expressions of interest’ from 8 – 18 year olds. This is a residential camp for Blind and visually impaired children with a variety of sporting activities.
To express your interest to CARA directly (NOT IBS). For more information contact Niamh Daffy on 0667145646 /“cara@ittralee.ie(cara)”:mailto:cara@ittralee.ie or Ursula Barrett IT Tralee on 0667144201 / (Ursula.barrett@staff.ittralee.ieurs)



Wed 18 May 11

IBS Feedback Survey

Follow this link to go to an online survey to give us some anonymous feedback on how we are doing and to tell us what you would like us to do for you or to see more of. Follow this link by clicking here



Wed 18 May 11

Cara Focus - a 5 Star Read

So, you would like to read about disabled sport and leisure in Ireland but, you’re not sure where to begin? Well, by clicking on to this website page – www.ibsports.ie – you have made an excellent start! Now, here’s more good news: at the bottom of this new item you can download the excellent CARA FOCUS newsletter – a brilliant read – which will tell you all you wanted to know but were afraid to ask!

CARA emerged 8 years ago from the Institute of Technology Tralee. It focuses on creating awareness, publicising and encouraging sports and leisure participation for people in Ireland with disabilities. It is directly supported by the Irish Sports Council as well as the associated national sports governing bodies and sports partnerships.

Last May the CARA Adapted Physical Activity Centre was officially launched by Minister for Sport Jimmy Denehan TD and Irish Sports Council CEO John Tracey.

The CARA Focus newsletter contains 24 pages of solid nationwide reporting on activities for all groups of disability. Of specific interest to those interested in the blind and visually impaired there are three areas of note: page 12 focuses on Camp Abilities Ireland (25 visually impaired children on a break); Sports Organisations features our water skiing and football (page 14) while on page 21 you can read up on St. Joseph’s School in Druncondra.

Read all about it, it absolutely FREE! Just download from below.

Click here to download Cara Focus Newsletter >>