In 2018, a number of Dundalk parkrunners were trained, by Joan Ryan, as guides to help those with visual impairment. We ended up with a trained team of 11 VI guide volunteers. Soon after that, we met Harry. Harry never misses a week. He loves getting out to meet and chat with everyone and keeping track…
John Doherty is a visually impaired (VI) parkrunner who enjoys his regular Saturday parkrun guided by Cathal Roarty at Letterkenny parkrun. Here, John and Cathal give us their perspectives on VI parkrunning and guiding… John: I first heard about parkrun from my community resource worker at The National Council for the Blind of…
Nauzika is a visually impaired runner who enjoys parkrunning with her family at Ballincollig parkrun. Here she tells us about the family’s journey to the 50 club. I started running a few years ago but it wasn’t too regular. As a fully blind runner I always need a guide. It’s usually my husband…
When parkrun tourist Niall had a wedding 300k from his home event, Bushy, Dublin, he decided to do something extra special on his Saturday morning visit to Tralee parkrun, co. Kerry. Visually impaired parkrunner Ross from Tralee parkrun, had coincidently posted some pleas on Facebook looking for a guide runner and Niall, having recently…
The Habermayer family have been enjoying their Saturday mornings at Ballincollig parkrun for the past few weeks. The weekly parkrun is particularly important to mum Nauzika, as she is totally blind as the result of a condition developed age 24. Nauzika and her husband Peter have run in the past, and their children David…
In my last article for the newsletter I spoke about how we are becoming far more proactive at bringing parkrun to those who are often the least likely to engage with physical activity and volunteering, and therefore potentially have the most to benefit. This covers many different initiatives, one of which is starting to bear…
