Out of Sight With Joe G

20 years ago today –16 July 2006 – Tom Kennedy kayaked from Fishguard to  Rosslare. Since losing his sight at 19 he has navigated the World, using various modes, from the Arctic Circle to the Black Sea. We caught up with him on his lunch break in his beloved Kilkenny.
Also, while in Kilkenny we step outside with Breda Dowling, Sales and Services Manager at Vision Ireland. From a 10,000 steps stroll on Tramore Beach one day to 55,000 steps into the Cork Marathon the next, Breda talks the walk.
It's baking weather whether outside or inside. Bobbie Hickey takes us on her kitchen where we discover many accessible, and not so accessible, appliance. Some top tips too.
The tale wags the dog as Gus Dorrington's story of his encounter with a flying Alsatian ends up in quite a snarl! In his determination to escape was Gus's dogged determination successful or might he have taking a licking?
Contacts and links
"Out of Sight! Stories of Ireland's Blind and Vision Impaired Sportspeople" book written by Joe Geraghty. Published by Martello Press it is available in all accessible formats www.outofsight.ie
Credits
Host: Joe Geraghty.
Guests: Breda Dowling, Bobbie Hickey, Sarah Pyle (voice over artist) and Tom Kennedy.
Art: Katie Geraghty
Music: Stuart Lawler and Jade McCormack
Editor: Grainne Geraghty
Email: outofsightwithjoeg@outlook.ie
Blog: www.outofsight.ie/blog
Socials: Facebook and TikTok: Out of Sight with Joe G; LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube: Joe Geraghty

We cycled the 30th and final Trip2Tipp fundraising event and chatted with many participants. We met Mary O'Connor and Paul Joyce  who got lost and thought they were on the Trip2Limerick! We witnessed an early meeting of Kerry and Dublin as Mairead O'Mahony took on Joanne McCarney. Billy Shanahan and hist daughter Caitriona crunched the numbers on participants and funds raised for Vision Ireland.
Travelling through airports for blind and vision impaired flyers has many challenges. Paul O'Rahilly checks in with lots of top tips. 
Lina Kouzi, Head of Library Services at Vision Ireland, loves horses. Sometimes on holiday she takes to the stables for a day cantering through the great outdoors.
No. 1 sprinter, dancer and Liverpool fan Jason Smyth loves playing football for fun. On a break from the World Cup he explains how he adapts his game to compliment his limited sight.
Contacts and links
"Out of Sight! Stories of Ireland's Blind and Vision Impaired Sportspeople" book written by Joe Geraghty. Published by Martello Press it is available in all accessible formats www.outofsight.ie
Trip to Tipp: Fundraising: https://www.idonate.ie/event/TriptoTipp2026-The30thAnniversary
 Credits
Host: Joe Geraghty.
Guests: Jason Smyth, Lina Kouzi, Paul O'Rahilly, Billy Shanahan, Caitriona Shanahan, Mairead O'Mahoney, Joanne McCarney, Paul Joyce, Mary O'Connor,
Art: Katie Geraghty
Music: Stuart Lawler and Jade McCormack
Editor: Grainne Geraght
Email: outofsightwithjoeg@outlook.ie
Blog: www.outofsight.ie/blog
Socials: Facebook and TikTok: Out of Sight with Joe G; LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube: Joe Geraghty

No RTE World Cup audio description is seen as an own goal by many blind and vision impaired people. Earlier this year we recorded a fascinating interview with Virgin Media Six Nations AD commentator Ian McKinley. 
Retired Paralympian Martin Gordon's passion for track tandem cycling took him from Sligo to Tokyo and Paris. Martin discusses the trials and tribulations of high performance cycling in a country with no velodrome.
Wimbledon champion at blind tennis Tracey Compton and Irish champion Vinny Keeane take us to the No. 1 court for an insight into the lives of blind tennis players.
Contacts and links
"Out of Sight! Stories of Ireland's Blind and Vision Impaired Sportspeople" book written by Joe Geraghty. Published by Martello Press it is available in all accessible formats www.outofsight.ie
Trip to Tipp: Register at www.eventmaster.ie. Fundraising: https://www.idonate.ie/event/TriptoTipp2026-The30thAnniversary. Billy Shanahan email billshan1954@gmail.com, phone 087 9253225
Tandem Try Day: Call Paul Joyce 087 6396995
Meagher's Tricolour GoFundMe with Joe Geraghty:  https://gofund.me/ef4fff319
Credits
Host: Joe Geraghty.
Guests: Martin Gordon, Tracey Compton, Vinny Keane and Ian McKinley.
Art: Katie Geraghty
Editor: Grainne Geraghty
Music: Stuart Lawler and Jade McCormack
Email: outofsightwithjoeg@outlook.ie
Blog: www.outofsight.ie/blog
Socials: Facebook and TikTok: Out of Sight with Joe G; LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube: Joe Geraghty

Paris Paralympic para-triathlete Chloe MacCombe chats about being at the crossroads. She urgently needs a guide to partner her on the road to LA 2028. Could you, or do you know of someone, who could guide a sprint triathlete - 750m swim , a 20km bike ride , and a 5km run – in an hour or less? 
After 30 years of his Trip2Tipp Billy Shanahan tells us he's locking away the bike helmet. Before he does so he wants us all to join him for the Trip2Tipp grand finale on 27 June. He says we can cycle from 25km to 140km and help Vision Ireland. Jim Sweeney joins Billy and encourages us out of the saddle to crawl, walk or run 5k.
As teenage entrepreneur Nathan Proudfoot sits his Leaving Cert we dig into our archives and release a blow your mind chat with the ace student. Nathan is managing to turn his teenage hobby into a future career which is already paying dividends for disabled students.
Contacts and links 
"Out of Sight! Stories of Ireland's Blind and Vision Impaired Sportspeople" book written by Joe Geraghty. Published by Martello Press it is available in all accessible formats www.outofsight.ie
Trip to Tipp: Register at www.eventmaster.ie. Fundraising: https://www.idonate.ie/event/TriptoTipp2026-The30thAnniversary
Billy Shanahan email billshan1954@gmail.com, phone 087 9253225
Chloe MacCoombe Paratriathlon Guide requirement: message Chloe on Instagram @chloe_macombe or email clamc@hotmail.co.uk
Credits
Host: Joe Geraghty.
Guests: Chloe MacCombe, Billy Shanahan, Jim Sweeney and Nathan Proudfoot.
Art: Katie Geraghty.
Music: Stuart Lawler and Jade McCormack.
Editor: Grainne Geraghty. 
Email: outofsightwithjoeg@outlook.ie
Blog: www.outofsight.ie/blog
Socials: Facebook and TikTok: Out of Sight with Joe G; LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube: Joe Geraghty

From MayFest to Mizen2Malin to the Meta Marathon Man this episode criss-crosses Ireland and southern England.
We hit the spot vox popping with 12 Vision Sports Ireland MayFesters including a couple just married. We also meet the man who has attended over 30 MayFests and his friend who travels from Switzerland each year to provide support.
Maureen Madden takes us on the gruelling Mizen2Malin cycle to raise funds for Irish Guide Dogs. Tandem stoker Maureen tells us of being wiped out by weather in Cork and Kerry but preparing the sun screen for the hills of Donegal.
Clarke Reynolds recalls his unique history making Brighton Marathon. He donned the Ai Ray-Bans and availed of support from the Be My Eyes team to avoid hitting the wall. But, how did he pull this together?
Contacts and links
"Out of Sight! Stories of Ireland's Blind and Vision Impaired Sportspeople" book written by Joe Geraghty. Published by Martello Press it is available in all accessible formats www.outofsight.ie
Trip to Tipp: Billy Shanahan email billshan1954@gmail.com, phone 087 9253225
Old Wesley VI Rugby Team Trip to Japan: https://www.idonate.ie/event/IrelandVIRugby
Mizen2Malin (Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind): https://mizen-2-malin-2025.raiselysite.com/
 Credits
Host: Joe Geraghty.
Guests: Maureen Madden, Clarke Reynolds, Alan and Dawn Barber,  Adam Duffy, Grace Muldowney, Rahim Nazarali, Lughaidh Ó Móráin, Colm Ó Súilleabháin, Rebecca Kerr, Sarah Nolan and her daughters Aine, Katie and Freya.
Art: Katie Geraghty
Music: Stuart Lawler and Jade McCormack
Editor: Grainne Geraghty
Email: outofsightwithjoeg@outlook.ie
Blog: www.outofsight.ie/blog
Socials: Facebook and TikTok: Out of Sight with Joe G; LinkedIn and Instagram: Joe Geraghty