Fri 13 January 12

Goodbye St. Joseph's, Hello ChildVision

St Joseph’s Centre for Visually Impaired in Drumcondra, Dublin – where many Irish Blind Sports members were educated – has changed its name.
From the 1st of January 2012, St Joseph’s is now called ChildVision, National Education Centre for Blind Children.
Founded in 1859 St. Joseph’s was originally a home for blind children and adults. For 100 years the Carmelite Brothers took Irish blind Catholic children from early life though adulthood. All attendees availed of full time residence, some never returning home to their families.
A typical early 20th century day at St. Joseph’s would have included education by lay persons as well as Carmelite Brothers through Braille, followed by evening sport and recreation. Sport was a very popular outlet for blind and visually impaired residents going right back to early times. Chess was a popular activity at St. Joseph’s and early competitive chess games can be traced back to the 1920s. The advent of raised chess boards as well as adapted games such draft combieed with children’s boar games like Ludo and Snakes adn Ladders opened up new windows for St. Joseph’s residents. In the 1930s attendees can recall playing football alongside legendary RTE commentator Michael O’Hehir, who lived nearby. Post war residents recall inter-provincial soccer and Gaelic tournaments where residents played for their province of birth. For adult residents a post match visit to the local Cat and Cage pub was a must.
Resident’s called St. Joseph’s “the Drum”. The post man often delivered to “the asylum” (sometimes unkonwingly delivering banned publications which were in Braille!). Locals still call what is now Child Vision “the Blind”.
The major changes at St. Joseph’s took place in the 1950s, shortly after Archbishop John Charles McQuaid invited the Rosminian Order in to help out the depleted forces of the Carmelite Brothers. The Rosminian went on a major fundraising offensive, including opening up the grounds to host bingo, dances and whist drives as well as building much of what is there to this day (not least an entire new “primary tops” school).
The game of chess re-surfaced and a team from St. Joseph’s won national school titles from 1960 to 1962. Track and Field, soccer and an indoor game called “crab football” were most popular. The building, in 1961, of a swimming pool, paid for by the Variety Club of Ireland, paved the way for swimming gals and a very popular swimming league.
A 185 metre tarmacadam running track and basketball court was built in 1970 from monies received in a bequest. Like other more famous running tracks in this country it is now a car park!
The 1960s saw St. Joseph’s only accept blind and visually impaired persons aged 8-18. It was also in the 1960s that children began to return home for weekends, initially once a month, later once and a week. Eventually many children became day pupils.
1971 saw the founding of Rosmini College – now a community school – which opened doors to advanced 2nd level education for blind and visually impaired students who were educated alongside their “able-bodied” neighbours.
The 1970s also saw major changes in relation to care of resident children. For the first time lay care workers came in to replace the now depleting forces of the Rosminian.
By the 1980s, as social policy and general attitude to disability changed in Ireland, many blind and visually impaired children availed of education within their own communities. Numbers of residents and day pupils at St. Joseph’s reduces significantly. St. Joseph’s responded to the changing times by moving into the provision of resource supports for those attending “open” schools. They also moved into the education of blind and visually impaired who had multiple disabilities. Through their annual Calendar of events it offers training, social activities and Summer Camps at weekends and during school holidays for children, families and professionals in the field of vision impairment.
The Mobile Resource Unit equipped with the latest in technology and aids for the visually impaired plus information leaflets etc. travels the country bringing our service to schools, hospitals and health centres.

So now St. Joseph’s is ChildVision While a new website is under construction the old site – www.stjosephsvi.ie – is still there as a shell. Otherwise, same address, same phone, same email. Same old Joeys.

Sat 31 March 12

Kerry for Holidays, Sam and ... Goalball!

Kerry for holidays, Kerry for Sam, now it’s Kerry for Goalball.

We are hoping to organise a goalball activity in the Tralee / Kerry area. This would be open to anyone who is interested – young and old alike.
At present we are trying to gauge if people would be interested in getting involved.

Goalball is a game designed specifically and exclusively for visually impaired and blind people; but it can be played by sighted individuals if they too wear black out goggles.

To find out more information about the sport go to link at bottom of page.

If you are interested in taking part or would like to find out more information, please contact Pam at Email: info@ibsports.ie, Tel 01 454 7865

Fri 20 April 12

Feach Sale of Work Next Sunday

if you’re in the Dublin area this Sunday, 22nd April, grab yourself some fun and a bargain at the Feach Sale of Work. Feach supporting blind and visually imapired children, Sale at Kielys of Mount Merrion, 12 to 5 pm, They will have a facepainter, photographer, lucky dip with fantastic prizes companies have donated, not a day to be missed!!

Our thanks to Aishoing Murphy for the notification.

Thu 26 April 12

Prof. Michael O'Keefe Guest Speaker at Family Albinism Day

Saturday, 9th June 2012, 12pm - 3pm

Renowned and eminent eye surgeon, Profesor Michael O’Keefe, is the guest speaker at this year’s Family Albinism Day. The very popular Family Day, set for Saturday, 9th June will run from 12pm – 3pm at
St. John’s GAA Clubhouse/Cumann Naomh Eoin,
Grange Rd.,Ballinteer, Dublin 16.

Arrival: 12.00pm – 12.30pm
BBQ: 12.30pm – 1.00pm.
Guest Speaker: 1.00pm – 1.30pm
Albinism Update: 1.30pm – 2.00pm Informal chat : 2.00pm- 3.00pm

They hope have the mobile resource unit from Child Vision (formerly St. Joseph’s School for the blind & visually impaired parked) outside in the car park where people have the opportunity to view the latest in technology & staff from Child Vision will be present to answer any query that people may have re technology & low vision aids.
Guest speaker Prof. O’Keefe, will speak and answer questions that people may have.

Getting there: Map of area will be on website: www.albinism.org.uk

Bus service: The 16 bus passes by the clubhouse. This bus comes right across through the city from Dublin airport.

Also you can take the 14 bus to the terminal then walk about 12 minutes up Stone Mason’s Way towards Marley Park.

The entrance to the Clubhouse is at the junction of Stone Mason’s Way & The Grange Rd.
The Luas goes from St. Stephen’s Green to Dundrum Shopping Centre from where you can get a taxi to the clubhouse (10 minutes)

By car: Take Ballinteer/Dundrum exit 13 from the M50.
Take the first left towards Rathfarnham .You will then be on Brehonfield Road, the Clubhouse is about 2km on the left.

St. John’s Clubhouse is the building with the Dublin flag (blue) and also St. John’s flag (orange & black) outside. It is next to Marley Park and there is a Lidl store across the road.

Cost: €7 per individual or €15 per family. Burger, baked potato & salad provided as usual. Bring a desert to share if possible. Please let me know if possible before the 6th May if you intend coming for catering purposes. They usually have some sports equipment on the day for the younger children. Marley Park is adjacent the clubhouse & we have previously visited the park on a number of occasions weather permitting.
Parents are responsible for supervising their children at all times.
Hope you can come along.
Treasa O Callaghan
email: treasaocallaghan1@eircom.net Mob: 0863789294