Derry councillors to experience what its like to be blind in the city

Derry City and Strabane councillors will experience what it's like to be visually impaired in the city this World Sight Day.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People and North West Regional College will host two events for World Sight Day on October 12.

In the first event, Seeing Derry Differently, Derry's representatives and media will be blindfolded and led around the city.
Rory McCartney, visual awareness trainer, and events coordinator for RNIB said he hopes the event will be informative and fun.

“The event during the day is going to be great because it'll give the councillors and invited guests an eye opener for what it's like to navigate the city blind or visually impaired,” he said.

“We're going to take all the counsellors and invited media on a guided tour right in the city centre wearing blindfolds to give them an idea of what it's like to be blind and visually impaired in the city.”

Mr McCartney has previously overseen events for World Sight Day but it is a first for the second event, Dining in the Dark.

“I was trying to think of something outside the box to mark world health day and I actually saw this on YouTube. They're going to have a full four course meal in the Flying Clipper wearing blindfolds. It will be a dark-night restaurant.

“At the end of the day from my perspective all I want to do is get the message out there about what it's like to be blind and visually impaired for world sight day,” he added.

Mr McCarntney says this year's programming is a step up.

“Last year we did a smaller version of Seeing Derry Differently but this year we're trying to keep up the momentum,” he said.

“I brought a motion to Derry City and Strabane Council in March and the mayor – who actually I never knew has a visual impairment – brought it to the council making us the first Visually Aware City in Ireland and the UK so going on from that we're trying everything possible this year that we can squeeze in."