August 20, 2025 • 26 mins
On this episode of Advocacy Talks, we speak to Roisin Lenehan and Deirdre Deverell about the 2025 Clear Our Paths campaign.
From bins and cars to branches and dog poo, temporary obstacles on footpaths create risks for those who are blind or vision impaired, as well as just being a general pain.
With 16% of people requiring a hospital or doctor’s visit following an encounter with a temporary obstacle, we have one simple message:
Please, please, please, Clear Our Paths!!!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to Advocacy Talks, a podcast from the
advocacy team at Vision Ireland.
Here's what's coming up on thisepisode.
SPEAKER_04 (00:15):
The wheelie bins would be a big issue because
some of the footpaths down herecould be very narrow.
For me to try and get past it,it can sometimes lead that I
have to go out onto the road.
The same for overhanging treesand branches.
There's one section you'retalking about a very, very busy
section of the roads becauseit's beside a McDonald's and
(00:38):
it's beside a roundabout.
And
SPEAKER_00 (00:40):
now, here's Madeleine McNamara.
SPEAKER_01 (00:44):
Hello, everybody.
Madeline here again.
And thank you so much forjoining me on Vision Ireland's
Advocacy Talks again.
This week in Vision Ireland, weare running our Clear Our Paths
campaign.
And it's all about raisingawareness of the challenges that
temporary obstacles on footpathspose for people who are blind
(01:04):
and vision impaired.
So we thought, what would be thebest way of raising that
awareness other than to talk topeople who are directly impacted
by these temporary obstacles onour footpaths?
So I'm delighted to be joined bytwo of our service users from
different parts of the country.
We have the wonderful RoisinLenehan and Deirdre Deverell.
(01:25):
So welcome both of you toadvocacy talks.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
It's fantastic.
So I thought we'd just start offby just asking you both to kind
of introduce yourselves a littlebit, let people know who you are
and where you're from.
So Roisin, over to you.
Where are you based?
SPEAKER_04 (01:43):
I'm from County Mayo.
It's in the west of Ireland andI'm 24 years of age and I'm
completely blind.
And I use a long white cane,which everyone probably knows.
SPEAKER_01 (01:57):
Yeah.
Oh, fantastic.
Thank you.
So we're over there and I'm sureyou're having a wonderful time
over there at the moment.
We've had a wonderful summer sofar, which is good.
SPEAKER_04 (02:08):
Yeah,
SPEAKER_01 (02:10):
exactly.
Fantastic.
We'll enjoy it while it lastsanyway.
And Deirdre, how about you?
Maybe you could introduceyourself to our listeners.
SPEAKER_02 (02:18):
Hello, I'm Deirdre and I'm the opposite end of the
country to Roisin.
I'm in County Dublin in a smalltown called Dalkey and I am a
guide dog user.
I have been blind for aboutseven years and I've had my
guide dog for six of thoseyears.
And I'm now age 67, so I havebeen sighted for the best part
(02:43):
of my life.
And now I'm blind for, say,
SPEAKER_01 (02:48):
the last seven years.
OK, so different experiences forboth of you, because I think,
Roshan, am I right, that you'vealways had sight loss?
SPEAKER_04 (02:55):
Yeah, I was born blind.
SPEAKER_01 (02:58):
Yeah, so very different experiences.
And I think that's aninteresting one to maybe talk a
little bit about in terms ofobstacles and how we kind of
view them.
And just for people who don'tknow, I'm also vision impaired,
but I do have sight.
So I'm not completely blind.
I would have low vision.
But temporary obstacles alsohave an impact on me.
(03:19):
So I think it's interestingtoday to kind of get the
different perspectives fromthree different people with
different levels of sight, butalso using different mobility
aids.
So, you know, Roisin using along cane and Deirdre using a
guide dog.
So, you know, I think that'skind of an interesting thing to
(03:40):
kind of make people aware ofthat there are different levels
of sight, different ways thatpeople manage that and the fact
that temporary obstacles impactus all.
So when we're talking abouttemporary obstacles, just to
kind of make that kind of clearfor people we're talking about
those things that the members ofthe public in particular can do
something about we're nottalking about the pavements
(04:03):
which can be you know uneven orwhatever we're talking about
those things like cars beingillegally parked on footpaths
we're talking about dog foulingoverhanging branches um wheelie
bins being left in the middle ofof the path um and uh what else
street furniture so i guess justto talk to each of you and to
say you know What is yourexperience of obstacles on the
(04:28):
footpath?
So, Roisin, in terms of yourselfin Mayo, what is your experience
of obstacles and what would yougenerally find is problematic?
The
SPEAKER_04 (04:38):
wheelie bins would be a big issue because some of
the footpaths down here could bevery narrow.
And...
for me to try and get past it,it can sometimes lead that I
have to go out onto the road,especially if I have someone
(05:02):
guiding me as well.
One of us, if not both of us,would have to go out onto the
road.
The same for overhanging treesand branches.
There's one section up nearwhere I go to the gym in Lough
Lanagh, in Castle Bear, andthey're is one piece of the
(05:25):
footpath there that at least oneof us would have to go out onto
the road if we can't get throughsingle file.
And you're talking about a very,very busy section of the road
because it's beside a McDonald'sand it's beside a roundabout.
(05:48):
Wow.
So...
And cars go flying up and downthat road.
Another thing would be the carsparked up on the footpath.
That would be another obstacle Iwould face regularly, at least
once a week, if not more.
Yeah.
And that would lead to me goingout onto the road as well to get
(06:13):
past.
Dog foul would be another thingbecause Like, I can't see the
dog fowl and my cane can't tellme that there's a fowl there.
No.
SPEAKER_01 (06:28):
Yeah, so at least a car or whatever, a car, your
cane, you can detect.
Yeah.
And the wheelie bin.
And the wheelie bin, but the dogfowling, you can't.
SPEAKER_04 (06:40):
Yeah, or like the overhanging trees and branches,
they could be up high.
Yeah.
My cane wouldn't detect them.
So then I end up getting myhands scratched.
Well, thankfully, it's only beenmy hands that I've received
scratches from.
But like that, it could beworse.
No, it's not.
SPEAKER_01 (07:02):
yeah yeah yeah and it's awful because as you say
you've got no deterrent againstthat because your cane can't
detect the overhanging branchesbecause they're not on the
ground they're up high and iknow we've had reports of people
you know who have injuries of iknow myself you know even with
some sight those the branchesand walking in and get kind of
(07:23):
getting in your face and youknow it's it's it's not pleasant
at all um you know and andsometimes a tree overhanging and
it kind of can be quite a hardbranch and you kind of walk in
your head and you feel so stupidapart from everything else as
well yeah no that's not pleasantat all so yeah and dog fouling I
(07:46):
think is such a horrible oneisn't it because have you had
experiences where
SPEAKER_04 (07:51):
you could be walking around with dog foul all over
your cane and your shoes withoutyou realizing it
SPEAKER_01 (07:58):
yeah
SPEAKER_04 (07:58):
And then, like, you know, you could be bringing that
into, say, someone's house oryour own house or someone's
business, do you know?
SPEAKER_01 (08:08):
Yeah.
And you're not doing itdeliberately.
And then if you don't know it'son your cane and you fold it up,
there's then the risk of gettingthat on your hands and
everything as well, isn't there?
I know myself, I rely a lot onmy sense of smell, which sounds
ridiculous, but if I'm out andI...
I'm kind of conscious, oh, do Ismell?
(08:29):
But then I can't necessarilyfind it.
You know, dog fouling, because Idon't know how long it's been
there or whatever.
But, you know, and then you'rekind of picking up your shoes.
Is there anything trying tosmell?
Is there something there?
And it is.
It's horrible.
It really, really is horrible.
And I get, you know, the pointwe're trying to make is that
these are things that themembers of the public can do
something about, you know.
(08:50):
Exactly.
so that we don't have to bechallenged by these things.
SPEAKER_04 (08:54):
Yeah, like, you know, a friend of mine said to
me, there, a few months ago,like, you know, people with
guide dogs have to pick up aftertheir dog.
Why can't sighted
SPEAKER_01 (09:06):
people do the same?
Exactly.
Well, that's a very good bridgeto Deirdre, because being a
guide dog owner, Deirdre, youknow, maybe you could kind of
tell us a little bit about thechallenges that you face and how
they might be different fromsomeone with a long cane.
UNKNOWN (09:21):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:22):
Okay, well, I'll start with the dog fowl, since
that's the topic that's on theagenda there at the moment, and
reiterate what Roshan is saying,that obviously I pick up after
my dog, who's called Bruno, bythe way.
And he's gorgeous,
SPEAKER_01 (09:34):
we have to say
SPEAKER_02 (09:35):
that
SPEAKER_01 (09:35):
as
SPEAKER_02 (09:35):
well.
You both have met Bruno.
We have.
I would always, I'd beabsolutely shocked to think that
anybody doesn't pick up aftertheir dog our area is quite bad
a lot of people come out thisdirection walking especially at
weekends and the pavements canbe quite bad now what my dog
(09:56):
does if there's dog poo in theway he just literally brings me
around it and I often I'mtotally unaware because I can go
for quite a long walk and not beaware that there was any dog
foul on the path so Bruno iswonderful in that respect and
You know, if there's somebodywith me, they might comment on
this afterwards that, you know,he did very well.
He brought you around.
(10:16):
The only problem is if it's in aspot that he can't bring me
around.
So if the path is too narrow orthere's another obstacle or
something, then he just has tostop.
And when he stops dead, this iskind of one of the problems with
a guide dog.
He's refusing to budge, but Idon't know why.
SPEAKER_03 (10:35):
And
SPEAKER_02 (10:36):
my immediate reaction is to put out my arm to
feel, is there an obstacle rightin front of me like a bin or a
car or something like that?
And then I might put my head upin case it's an overhanging
branch or a hedge or something.
And then I start gingerly pokingaround at my foot because not
only could it be dog foul, itcould be broken glass or it
(10:57):
could be a trip hazard.
only this week I met a coil ofbunting that people were putting
up to herald a festival that wascoming up soon and they were
unwinding a coil of bunting andthat was right in the middle of
the pavement and Bruno stoppedat it.
I never, that's the first timeI've encountered that.
So I think with a cane you canfeel around and you get an idea
(11:19):
but when Bruno refuses to moveyou actually have to wait until
you can figure out what it isand how to deal with it.
Interestingly he refused to moveone day when I was on the path
and I couldn't figure it out Ihad to wait until another
pedestrian came along and saidlook my dog is refusing to move
(11:40):
can you tell me is there anyhazardous you know thing in the
way and they told me that therewas a cat sitting there Right in
front of him with his pawpoised, ready to swipe.
Oh, wow.
So the cat held its ground andwe had to go around onto the
(12:01):
road and circle the cat.
cat was not budging from itsgateway yeah that's so funny
that was an interesting one butthe dog is good but they can't
talk to you unfortunately theyhave the same warning sign which
is stop and refuse to move uhuntil we figure out what the
problem is and what Roshi wassaying about the wheel bins um
is a nuisance and that issomething the public can do
(12:23):
which is take in their bins asearly as possible in the day
because you know you encounterbins um early in the morning
which is fair enough when theyhave to be put out for the
collection lorries but you knowfive six o'clock in the evening
you know I kind of feel there'snot much excuse for people still
to have their bins out on binday um not that many people
(12:45):
nowadays I think are out at workall day without somebody in the
household you know maybe comingin or coming out to bring in the
bin you're both aware of theroad in Drumcondra Whitworth
Road that leads down to theVision Ireland Training Centre
and Head Office and on aWednesday it's the one day of
the week that I attend there andI encounter I would say 20 or 30
(13:10):
I must count them someday binson my way down and that's at
lunchtime and when I'm goinghome at about you know maybe
three o'clock it's there's stillplenty and plenty of bins and
It's something the public couldbe aware of because there's a
lot of blind and low visionpeople walking down Glitterworth
Road with canes and dogs andetc.
(13:32):
And I kind of feel if theresidents there were made aware
to pull in their bins as earlyas possible or even pull in a
bin for a neighbour, the nextdoor neighbour's gateway as
well.
And that's something I was kindof thinking about some
Wednesdays as I'm walking downthat, you know, maybe...
a campaign for the residentsthere because it's a
particularly heavy traffic forservice users along that
(13:56):
stretch.
I'm particularly unlucky becauseI have a bin day locally here on
a Thursday.
So I get two bin days in myweek.
I get one on the Wednesday, onelocally on a Thursday.
So I have a double family withthe bins.
SPEAKER_01 (14:10):
Absolutely.
It is a universal problem,though, the bins, isn't it?
Because you say we're all havingto do that, put our bins out,
you know, for the bin lorry andthen bring them back in.
And yes, absolutely.
I think it's very right insaying to encourage people to
bring them in as soon as theycan, because the bins generally,
the lorries do come early in themorning, not exclusively.
(14:34):
And I guess that's where we needto kind of be sort of talking to
the bin men or women who aredoing that that they at least
put the bins back in against thewall so that there's some
consistency because I thinkthat's the trouble if bins are
just sort of left when they'rebeing once they've been emptied
and often we find that theproblem is that they're not put
(14:54):
back against the wall they'rejust sort of put in the middle
of the path and then that makesit even more challenging doesn't
it
SPEAKER_02 (15:00):
Sometimes you have to choose which side of the bin
to go.
And I can feel Bruno hesitate tosee whether he go on the inside
between the bin and maybe arailings or on the outside,
which is maybe the edge of thecurb onto a road and the bin.
So it's definitely much easierif the bins are tucked in well.
Yeah,
SPEAKER_01 (15:18):
yeah.
It gives consistency and youthen know how to manage it,
which is which is good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And have you ever had any kindof injuries yourself, Deirdre?
SPEAKER_02 (15:28):
Fortunately, not an injury.
The overhanging branches, likewhat you're saying, if they're
thorny, I've had them catch myhair or face as I walk under
them.
And this time of year isparticularly bad because they
can be cut back and with allthis heat and moisture they can
shoot out like quite a longtendril overnight practically
(15:48):
and so where you know you mighthave had a clear walk one day
the next day could have a verylong tendril and I find wearing
glasses as a help it kind ofjust gives you just that little
bit extra barrier and I know Idon't particularly like wearing
visors or peaked caps but theycertainly can help as well but
again householders if theyrealized you know what might be
(16:11):
a obvious for a sighted personjust to move a couple of inches
around one we can get smacksmack on the face so no serious
injury thankfully but veryannoying it is very
SPEAKER_01 (16:22):
annoying and i just think it gives you a bit of a
fright i know myself it does ifyou suddenly brush into
something um you haven't beenexpecting i mean i i guess like
all of us you know we know ourroots we know we generally are
people who are blind and visionimpaired it's the nature is that
we're often we're going verysimilar routes until you get to
know where the kind of dangerspots are, I guess.
(16:43):
Where is that hedge going to be?
But you have to be constantly onalert then.
It's not relaxing, I think, inthe same way maybe as for other
people walking about every dayjust walking not concentrating
really where they're going,looking at their phones, which
is not necessarily brilliant,but we have to, we can't do
that.
I think, you know, we're havingto concentrate on where, where
(17:06):
is that going to be?
Yeah, no, I think that's, that'san interesting one.
And I, so just to stay with youa bit more, Deirdre, in terms of
just thinking about, you know,you're in a situation where,
unfortunately, you've lost yoursight.
And I'm just wondering what yourperspective would be if you
think back to when you weresighted.
(17:26):
And, you know, would it havebeen something that you were
aware of then?
I guess just interesting to getthat kind of thought process as
a sighted person.
SPEAKER_02 (17:33):
Absolutely not, Madeline.
I wouldn't have had any conceptas to what it would have been
like with street furniture,overhanging branches, no concept
whatsoever.
The only thing I might havethought about would have been,
say, for buggies or flea chairs,you know, like cars parked.
You know, I'd seen buggy, youknow, mums having to go out on
(17:56):
roads and things like that or awheelchair user being stuck in a
situation.
Because I know there are, is itover 50,000 people who identify
as low vision or blind?
SPEAKER_01 (18:09):
More now.
It's actually nearly 300,000.
In the last census, it was296,000 people.
So it's a big chunk of thepopulation It certainly is.
But to
SPEAKER_02 (18:21):
be honest, I don't think I was aware of the
hazards.
And I think that is a hugeproblem because, you know, we
can talk among ourselves andsay, oh, gosh, this is, you
know, things need to be done.
But I think my friends havebecome so much more aware from
having been out and about withme.
And they all admit that theywould have been unaware as well
(18:44):
as to hazards.
let's take street furniture, youknow, on the pavement, tables
and chairs, you know, sittingdown, having lunch, chatting
away.
I don't think any of us havethought, gosh, I wonder, is a
blind or vision impaired personnow going to have difficulty
getting by us?
I think you're just glad to findyour table outside the cafe and
say, oh, great, here, there'sroom.
Oh, bring over another chair.
There's now five of us.
(19:06):
I really don't think it wouldhave crossed our minds.
It does now.
I've often had people say to me,oh, they were in such and such a
place the other day and youwould have hated it or I
realised it would have been verydifficult for you, even to the
extent that people, when they goon holiday, say, you know, we
were in such and such a city.
And, oh, dear, you'd love it.
It's very accessible.
Oh, dear, you'd hate it.
(19:26):
It's narrow paths, all brokenand hilly.
And, you know, so I've raisedawareness amongst my own people.
family and friends i think butreally i think you need that
personal experience or witness apersonal um i i would imagine
that a lot of people in my areanow are more conscious of it
(19:47):
because of me walking throughevery day through the town and
um you know i'm hoping that umthat that's doing good for
everybody, you know, in a waythat, you know, when people see
it firsthand, it does make themmore aware.
SPEAKER_01 (20:04):
I think that's so true.
And I think, as you say, I thinkpeople are just generally going
around their daily business andaren't aware, unless you have
some sort of connection, some,you know, somebody or whatever,
you just don't realise.
And that's why we have thiscampaign on a yearly basis to
try and kind of raise thatawareness and get it out beyond,
which is always a challenge toget the message out beyond our
(20:26):
own community, I think, isn'tit?
You know, we kind of, you canfeel like you're just talking to
the converter And we're tryingto get this message beyond that,
get it to the general public tomake people aware.
And you've done great work overthe years, Roisin, too, in terms
of your advocacy in this space,haven't you, with various
interviews and things like that?
SPEAKER_04 (20:48):
Yeah, I have.
So hopefully it'll keep going.
And who knows, maybe somedaypeople might get the message.
But that could be wishful hopingas well, on the other hand.
SPEAKER_01 (21:02):
Oh, I think we've always got to be hopeful.
You know, I think we do.
And I think we have to recognisethis, you know, just because
we've said it once doesn't meanwe shouldn't keep saying it.
And, you know, there's newpeople that are going to hear
the message and pass it on.
And I think what we would beencouraging is that, you know,
within our own community thatwe're talking about it to
friends and family, absolutely,to sort of make people aware,
(21:24):
but encouraging them to sort oftalk to people and raise it.
And as part of this campaign,we're encouraging people the
general public who hear aboutthis to talk to people.
So if, you know, if they're in acar with somebody and they just
say, oh, I'm just going to pullin here on the whatever and say,
well, actually, you know, that'snot a good idea because you're
going to block the path forsomebody, apart from the fact
(21:45):
that it's illegal to park on thefootpath.
But, you know, just raisingawareness as to why that's a
challenge for somebody else, Ithink, is what we're really
asking people to do on thisoccasion.
SPEAKER_02 (21:56):
Yeah, I think, Madeline, people haven't a
concept of the width becausesometimes people park and
certainly a person could walkby.
But I need double that widthbecause my dog isn't in front of
me.
You know, he's beside me.
So it's quite a width I need.
And Bruno has to make thatjudgment.
Am I going to fit?
(22:16):
And you have to take intoaccount maybe a wing mirror,
like the bulk of the car youmight fit by, but then the
mirror can clock you on the armor shoulder or whatever as you
go by.
So he has to make that judgment.
And it is quite a width we need.
And Roisin often would have acompanion with her.
So it's a double width.
It's not just one person.
You need the width for twopeople to walk safely through.
(22:38):
And, you know, I think maybethat bit might be very hard for
people to realise as well.
And often people, you know, Isay, oh, is there a car parked
there?
And they say, oh, yeah, plentyof room, you'll fit through,
you'll fit through.
But when I'm actually goingthrough, I'm hitting off it
because it isn't wide enough.
It's wide enough for them tomaybe walk sideways by.
(22:59):
But me and my dog is quitedifferent from what they judge
to be a safe enough distance.
So I think
SPEAKER_01 (23:08):
it's hard to get across that concept.
I think so.
And the fact that, you know,often if they're parked up
against them, there might be ahedge as well or a pole or, as
you say, their wing mirror.
It's all those other sort ofaspects as well that kind of
come into play, too.
So even if there was room forsomeone to sort of squeeze
through, it's just adding to thecomplexity and the space that
(23:29):
you need, isn't it, as well?
I think.
No, 100%.
So that's fantastic.
Well, we've had lots ofinteresting conversations there
and hopefully kind of helping toraise awareness of the
challenges that temporaryobstacles force.
And that's the point.
They're temporary obstacles thatcould be moved.
And we just need people to bemore aware, you know, to not
(23:51):
leave things where theyshouldn't be and be aware of the
impact that they can have onpeople in terms of their
confidence to get around, interms of injuries that they may
be having.
You know, so just really, reallyimportant.
Well, thank you.
(24:33):
ladies both so much for sharingyour stories and the different
perspectives and I think ithighlights the fact that it
doesn't matter where you are inthe country whether you're in
Mayo or in South Dublin or youknow for myself in Kildare you
know it's the same problemeverywhere and we do just need
everybody to be aware and tomake a change you know make an
(24:55):
improvement for other people soThank you so much for listening
today.
If you need any support fromVision Ireland, you can always
log on to our website, which iswww.vi.ie.
Or you can call our info line on1-800-911-250.
(25:17):
That's 1-800-911-250.
And remember, please clear ourpaths.
We need it.
Thank you so much, everyone.
And we'll talk to you next time.
SPEAKER_00 (25:29):
Thanks for listening and see you next time.
Welcome to Advocacy Talks, a podcast from the
advocacy team at Vision Ireland.
Here's what's coming up on thisepisode.
SPEAKER_04 (00:15):
The wheelie bins would be a big issue because
some of the footpaths down herecould be very narrow.
For me to try and get past it,it can sometimes lead that I
have to go out onto the road.
The same for overhanging treesand branches.
There's one section you'retalking about a very, very busy
section of the roads becauseit's beside a McDonald's and
(00:38):
it's beside a roundabout.
And
SPEAKER_00 (00:40):
now, here's Madeleine McNamara.
SPEAKER_01 (00:44):
Hello, everybody.
Madeline here again.
And thank you so much forjoining me on Vision Ireland's
Advocacy Talks again.
This week in Vision Ireland, weare running our Clear Our Paths
campaign.
And it's all about raisingawareness of the challenges that
temporary obstacles on footpathspose for people who are blind
(01:04):
and vision impaired.
So we thought, what would be thebest way of raising that
awareness other than to talk topeople who are directly impacted
by these temporary obstacles onour footpaths?
So I'm delighted to be joined bytwo of our service users from
different parts of the country.
We have the wonderful RoisinLenehan and Deirdre Deverell.
(01:25):
So welcome both of you toadvocacy talks.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
It's fantastic.
So I thought we'd just start offby just asking you both to kind
of introduce yourselves a littlebit, let people know who you are
and where you're from.
So Roisin, over to you.
Where are you based?
SPEAKER_04 (01:43):
I'm from County Mayo.
It's in the west of Ireland andI'm 24 years of age and I'm
completely blind.
And I use a long white cane,which everyone probably knows.
SPEAKER_01 (01:57):
Yeah.
Oh, fantastic.
Thank you.
So we're over there and I'm sureyou're having a wonderful time
over there at the moment.
We've had a wonderful summer sofar, which is good.
SPEAKER_04 (02:08):
Yeah,
SPEAKER_01 (02:10):
exactly.
Fantastic.
We'll enjoy it while it lastsanyway.
And Deirdre, how about you?
Maybe you could introduceyourself to our listeners.
SPEAKER_02 (02:18):
Hello, I'm Deirdre and I'm the opposite end of the
country to Roisin.
I'm in County Dublin in a smalltown called Dalkey and I am a
guide dog user.
I have been blind for aboutseven years and I've had my
guide dog for six of thoseyears.
And I'm now age 67, so I havebeen sighted for the best part
(02:43):
of my life.
And now I'm blind for, say,
SPEAKER_01 (02:48):
the last seven years.
OK, so different experiences forboth of you, because I think,
Roshan, am I right, that you'vealways had sight loss?
SPEAKER_04 (02:55):
Yeah, I was born blind.
SPEAKER_01 (02:58):
Yeah, so very different experiences.
And I think that's aninteresting one to maybe talk a
little bit about in terms ofobstacles and how we kind of
view them.
And just for people who don'tknow, I'm also vision impaired,
but I do have sight.
So I'm not completely blind.
I would have low vision.
But temporary obstacles alsohave an impact on me.
(03:19):
So I think it's interestingtoday to kind of get the
different perspectives fromthree different people with
different levels of sight, butalso using different mobility
aids.
So, you know, Roisin using along cane and Deirdre using a
guide dog.
So, you know, I think that'skind of an interesting thing to
(03:40):
kind of make people aware ofthat there are different levels
of sight, different ways thatpeople manage that and the fact
that temporary obstacles impactus all.
So when we're talking abouttemporary obstacles, just to
kind of make that kind of clearfor people we're talking about
those things that the members ofthe public in particular can do
something about we're nottalking about the pavements
(04:03):
which can be you know uneven orwhatever we're talking about
those things like cars beingillegally parked on footpaths
we're talking about dog foulingoverhanging branches um wheelie
bins being left in the middle ofof the path um and uh what else
street furniture so i guess justto talk to each of you and to
say you know What is yourexperience of obstacles on the
(04:28):
footpath?
So, Roisin, in terms of yourselfin Mayo, what is your experience
of obstacles and what would yougenerally find is problematic?
The
SPEAKER_04 (04:38):
wheelie bins would be a big issue because some of
the footpaths down here could bevery narrow.
And...
for me to try and get past it,it can sometimes lead that I
have to go out onto the road,especially if I have someone
(05:02):
guiding me as well.
One of us, if not both of us,would have to go out onto the
road.
The same for overhanging treesand branches.
There's one section up nearwhere I go to the gym in Lough
Lanagh, in Castle Bear, andthey're is one piece of the
(05:25):
footpath there that at least oneof us would have to go out onto
the road if we can't get throughsingle file.
And you're talking about a very,very busy section of the road
because it's beside a McDonald'sand it's beside a roundabout.
(05:48):
Wow.
So...
And cars go flying up and downthat road.
Another thing would be the carsparked up on the footpath.
That would be another obstacle Iwould face regularly, at least
once a week, if not more.
Yeah.
And that would lead to me goingout onto the road as well to get
(06:13):
past.
Dog foul would be another thingbecause Like, I can't see the
dog fowl and my cane can't tellme that there's a fowl there.
No.
SPEAKER_01 (06:28):
Yeah, so at least a car or whatever, a car, your
cane, you can detect.
Yeah.
And the wheelie bin.
And the wheelie bin, but the dogfowling, you can't.
SPEAKER_04 (06:40):
Yeah, or like the overhanging trees and branches,
they could be up high.
Yeah.
My cane wouldn't detect them.
So then I end up getting myhands scratched.
Well, thankfully, it's only beenmy hands that I've received
scratches from.
But like that, it could beworse.
No, it's not.
SPEAKER_01 (07:02):
yeah yeah yeah and it's awful because as you say
you've got no deterrent againstthat because your cane can't
detect the overhanging branchesbecause they're not on the
ground they're up high and iknow we've had reports of people
you know who have injuries of iknow myself you know even with
some sight those the branchesand walking in and get kind of
(07:23):
getting in your face and youknow it's it's it's not pleasant
at all um you know and andsometimes a tree overhanging and
it kind of can be quite a hardbranch and you kind of walk in
your head and you feel so stupidapart from everything else as
well yeah no that's not pleasantat all so yeah and dog fouling I
(07:46):
think is such a horrible oneisn't it because have you had
experiences where
SPEAKER_04 (07:51):
you could be walking around with dog foul all over
your cane and your shoes withoutyou realizing it
SPEAKER_01 (07:58):
yeah
SPEAKER_04 (07:58):
And then, like, you know, you could be bringing that
into, say, someone's house oryour own house or someone's
business, do you know?
SPEAKER_01 (08:08):
Yeah.
And you're not doing itdeliberately.
And then if you don't know it'son your cane and you fold it up,
there's then the risk of gettingthat on your hands and
everything as well, isn't there?
I know myself, I rely a lot onmy sense of smell, which sounds
ridiculous, but if I'm out andI...
I'm kind of conscious, oh, do Ismell?
(08:29):
But then I can't necessarilyfind it.
You know, dog fouling, because Idon't know how long it's been
there or whatever.
But, you know, and then you'rekind of picking up your shoes.
Is there anything trying tosmell?
Is there something there?
And it is.
It's horrible.
It really, really is horrible.
And I get, you know, the pointwe're trying to make is that
these are things that themembers of the public can do
something about, you know.
(08:50):
Exactly.
so that we don't have to bechallenged by these things.
SPEAKER_04 (08:54):
Yeah, like, you know, a friend of mine said to
me, there, a few months ago,like, you know, people with
guide dogs have to pick up aftertheir dog.
Why can't sighted
SPEAKER_01 (09:06):
people do the same?
Exactly.
Well, that's a very good bridgeto Deirdre, because being a
guide dog owner, Deirdre, youknow, maybe you could kind of
tell us a little bit about thechallenges that you face and how
they might be different fromsomeone with a long cane.
UNKNOWN (09:21):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:22):
Okay, well, I'll start with the dog fowl, since
that's the topic that's on theagenda there at the moment, and
reiterate what Roshan is saying,that obviously I pick up after
my dog, who's called Bruno, bythe way.
And he's gorgeous,
SPEAKER_01 (09:34):
we have to say
SPEAKER_02 (09:35):
that
SPEAKER_01 (09:35):
as
SPEAKER_02 (09:35):
well.
You both have met Bruno.
We have.
I would always, I'd beabsolutely shocked to think that
anybody doesn't pick up aftertheir dog our area is quite bad
a lot of people come out thisdirection walking especially at
weekends and the pavements canbe quite bad now what my dog
(09:56):
does if there's dog poo in theway he just literally brings me
around it and I often I'mtotally unaware because I can go
for quite a long walk and not beaware that there was any dog
foul on the path so Bruno iswonderful in that respect and
You know, if there's somebodywith me, they might comment on
this afterwards that, you know,he did very well.
He brought you around.
(10:16):
The only problem is if it's in aspot that he can't bring me
around.
So if the path is too narrow orthere's another obstacle or
something, then he just has tostop.
And when he stops dead, this iskind of one of the problems with
a guide dog.
He's refusing to budge, but Idon't know why.
SPEAKER_03 (10:35):
And
SPEAKER_02 (10:36):
my immediate reaction is to put out my arm to
feel, is there an obstacle rightin front of me like a bin or a
car or something like that?
And then I might put my head upin case it's an overhanging
branch or a hedge or something.
And then I start gingerly pokingaround at my foot because not
only could it be dog foul, itcould be broken glass or it
(10:57):
could be a trip hazard.
only this week I met a coil ofbunting that people were putting
up to herald a festival that wascoming up soon and they were
unwinding a coil of bunting andthat was right in the middle of
the pavement and Bruno stoppedat it.
I never, that's the first timeI've encountered that.
So I think with a cane you canfeel around and you get an idea
(11:19):
but when Bruno refuses to moveyou actually have to wait until
you can figure out what it isand how to deal with it.
Interestingly he refused to moveone day when I was on the path
and I couldn't figure it out Ihad to wait until another
pedestrian came along and saidlook my dog is refusing to move
(11:40):
can you tell me is there anyhazardous you know thing in the
way and they told me that therewas a cat sitting there Right in
front of him with his pawpoised, ready to swipe.
Oh, wow.
So the cat held its ground andwe had to go around onto the
(12:01):
road and circle the cat.
cat was not budging from itsgateway yeah that's so funny
that was an interesting one butthe dog is good but they can't
talk to you unfortunately theyhave the same warning sign which
is stop and refuse to move uhuntil we figure out what the
problem is and what Roshi wassaying about the wheel bins um
is a nuisance and that issomething the public can do
(12:23):
which is take in their bins asearly as possible in the day
because you know you encounterbins um early in the morning
which is fair enough when theyhave to be put out for the
collection lorries but you knowfive six o'clock in the evening
you know I kind of feel there'snot much excuse for people still
to have their bins out on binday um not that many people
(12:45):
nowadays I think are out at workall day without somebody in the
household you know maybe comingin or coming out to bring in the
bin you're both aware of theroad in Drumcondra Whitworth
Road that leads down to theVision Ireland Training Centre
and Head Office and on aWednesday it's the one day of
the week that I attend there andI encounter I would say 20 or 30
(13:10):
I must count them someday binson my way down and that's at
lunchtime and when I'm goinghome at about you know maybe
three o'clock it's there's stillplenty and plenty of bins and
It's something the public couldbe aware of because there's a
lot of blind and low visionpeople walking down Glitterworth
Road with canes and dogs andetc.
(13:32):
And I kind of feel if theresidents there were made aware
to pull in their bins as earlyas possible or even pull in a
bin for a neighbour, the nextdoor neighbour's gateway as
well.
And that's something I was kindof thinking about some
Wednesdays as I'm walking downthat, you know, maybe...
a campaign for the residentsthere because it's a
particularly heavy traffic forservice users along that
(13:56):
stretch.
I'm particularly unlucky becauseI have a bin day locally here on
a Thursday.
So I get two bin days in myweek.
I get one on the Wednesday, onelocally on a Thursday.
So I have a double family withthe bins.
SPEAKER_01 (14:10):
Absolutely.
It is a universal problem,though, the bins, isn't it?
Because you say we're all havingto do that, put our bins out,
you know, for the bin lorry andthen bring them back in.
And yes, absolutely.
I think it's very right insaying to encourage people to
bring them in as soon as theycan, because the bins generally,
the lorries do come early in themorning, not exclusively.
(14:34):
And I guess that's where we needto kind of be sort of talking to
the bin men or women who aredoing that that they at least
put the bins back in against thewall so that there's some
consistency because I thinkthat's the trouble if bins are
just sort of left when they'rebeing once they've been emptied
and often we find that theproblem is that they're not put
(14:54):
back against the wall they'rejust sort of put in the middle
of the path and then that makesit even more challenging doesn't
it
SPEAKER_02 (15:00):
Sometimes you have to choose which side of the bin
to go.
And I can feel Bruno hesitate tosee whether he go on the inside
between the bin and maybe arailings or on the outside,
which is maybe the edge of thecurb onto a road and the bin.
So it's definitely much easierif the bins are tucked in well.
Yeah,
SPEAKER_01 (15:18):
yeah.
It gives consistency and youthen know how to manage it,
which is which is good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And have you ever had any kindof injuries yourself, Deirdre?
SPEAKER_02 (15:28):
Fortunately, not an injury.
The overhanging branches, likewhat you're saying, if they're
thorny, I've had them catch myhair or face as I walk under
them.
And this time of year isparticularly bad because they
can be cut back and with allthis heat and moisture they can
shoot out like quite a longtendril overnight practically
(15:48):
and so where you know you mighthave had a clear walk one day
the next day could have a verylong tendril and I find wearing
glasses as a help it kind ofjust gives you just that little
bit extra barrier and I know Idon't particularly like wearing
visors or peaked caps but theycertainly can help as well but
again householders if theyrealized you know what might be
(16:11):
a obvious for a sighted personjust to move a couple of inches
around one we can get smacksmack on the face so no serious
injury thankfully but veryannoying it is very
SPEAKER_01 (16:22):
annoying and i just think it gives you a bit of a
fright i know myself it does ifyou suddenly brush into
something um you haven't beenexpecting i mean i i guess like
all of us you know we know ourroots we know we generally are
people who are blind and visionimpaired it's the nature is that
we're often we're going verysimilar routes until you get to
know where the kind of dangerspots are, I guess.
(16:43):
Where is that hedge going to be?
But you have to be constantly onalert then.
It's not relaxing, I think, inthe same way maybe as for other
people walking about every dayjust walking not concentrating
really where they're going,looking at their phones, which
is not necessarily brilliant,but we have to, we can't do
that.
I think, you know, we're havingto concentrate on where, where
(17:06):
is that going to be?
Yeah, no, I think that's, that'san interesting one.
And I, so just to stay with youa bit more, Deirdre, in terms of
just thinking about, you know,you're in a situation where,
unfortunately, you've lost yoursight.
And I'm just wondering what yourperspective would be if you
think back to when you weresighted.
(17:26):
And, you know, would it havebeen something that you were
aware of then?
I guess just interesting to getthat kind of thought process as
a sighted person.
SPEAKER_02 (17:33):
Absolutely not, Madeline.
I wouldn't have had any conceptas to what it would have been
like with street furniture,overhanging branches, no concept
whatsoever.
The only thing I might havethought about would have been,
say, for buggies or flea chairs,you know, like cars parked.
You know, I'd seen buggy, youknow, mums having to go out on
(17:56):
roads and things like that or awheelchair user being stuck in a
situation.
Because I know there are, is itover 50,000 people who identify
as low vision or blind?
SPEAKER_01 (18:09):
More now.
It's actually nearly 300,000.
In the last census, it was296,000 people.
So it's a big chunk of thepopulation It certainly is.
But to
SPEAKER_02 (18:21):
be honest, I don't think I was aware of the
hazards.
And I think that is a hugeproblem because, you know, we
can talk among ourselves andsay, oh, gosh, this is, you
know, things need to be done.
But I think my friends havebecome so much more aware from
having been out and about withme.
And they all admit that theywould have been unaware as well
(18:44):
as to hazards.
let's take street furniture, youknow, on the pavement, tables
and chairs, you know, sittingdown, having lunch, chatting
away.
I don't think any of us havethought, gosh, I wonder, is a
blind or vision impaired personnow going to have difficulty
getting by us?
I think you're just glad to findyour table outside the cafe and
say, oh, great, here, there'sroom.
Oh, bring over another chair.
There's now five of us.
(19:06):
I really don't think it wouldhave crossed our minds.
It does now.
I've often had people say to me,oh, they were in such and such a
place the other day and youwould have hated it or I
realised it would have been verydifficult for you, even to the
extent that people, when they goon holiday, say, you know, we
were in such and such a city.
And, oh, dear, you'd love it.
It's very accessible.
Oh, dear, you'd hate it.
(19:26):
It's narrow paths, all brokenand hilly.
And, you know, so I've raisedawareness amongst my own people.
family and friends i think butreally i think you need that
personal experience or witness apersonal um i i would imagine
that a lot of people in my areanow are more conscious of it
(19:47):
because of me walking throughevery day through the town and
um you know i'm hoping that umthat that's doing good for
everybody, you know, in a waythat, you know, when people see
it firsthand, it does make themmore aware.
SPEAKER_01 (20:04):
I think that's so true.
And I think, as you say, I thinkpeople are just generally going
around their daily business andaren't aware, unless you have
some sort of connection, some,you know, somebody or whatever,
you just don't realise.
And that's why we have thiscampaign on a yearly basis to
try and kind of raise thatawareness and get it out beyond,
which is always a challenge toget the message out beyond our
(20:26):
own community, I think, isn'tit?
You know, we kind of, you canfeel like you're just talking to
the converter And we're tryingto get this message beyond that,
get it to the general public tomake people aware.
And you've done great work overthe years, Roisin, too, in terms
of your advocacy in this space,haven't you, with various
interviews and things like that?
SPEAKER_04 (20:48):
Yeah, I have.
So hopefully it'll keep going.
And who knows, maybe somedaypeople might get the message.
But that could be wishful hopingas well, on the other hand.
SPEAKER_01 (21:02):
Oh, I think we've always got to be hopeful.
You know, I think we do.
And I think we have to recognisethis, you know, just because
we've said it once doesn't meanwe shouldn't keep saying it.
And, you know, there's newpeople that are going to hear
the message and pass it on.
And I think what we would beencouraging is that, you know,
within our own community thatwe're talking about it to
friends and family, absolutely,to sort of make people aware,
(21:24):
but encouraging them to sort oftalk to people and raise it.
And as part of this campaign,we're encouraging people the
general public who hear aboutthis to talk to people.
So if, you know, if they're in acar with somebody and they just
say, oh, I'm just going to pullin here on the whatever and say,
well, actually, you know, that'snot a good idea because you're
going to block the path forsomebody, apart from the fact
(21:45):
that it's illegal to park on thefootpath.
But, you know, just raisingawareness as to why that's a
challenge for somebody else, Ithink, is what we're really
asking people to do on thisoccasion.
SPEAKER_02 (21:56):
Yeah, I think, Madeline, people haven't a
concept of the width becausesometimes people park and
certainly a person could walkby.
But I need double that widthbecause my dog isn't in front of
me.
You know, he's beside me.
So it's quite a width I need.
And Bruno has to make thatjudgment.
Am I going to fit?
(22:16):
And you have to take intoaccount maybe a wing mirror,
like the bulk of the car youmight fit by, but then the
mirror can clock you on the armor shoulder or whatever as you
go by.
So he has to make that judgment.
And it is quite a width we need.
And Roisin often would have acompanion with her.
So it's a double width.
It's not just one person.
You need the width for twopeople to walk safely through.
(22:38):
And, you know, I think maybethat bit might be very hard for
people to realise as well.
And often people, you know, Isay, oh, is there a car parked
there?
And they say, oh, yeah, plentyof room, you'll fit through,
you'll fit through.
But when I'm actually goingthrough, I'm hitting off it
because it isn't wide enough.
It's wide enough for them tomaybe walk sideways by.
(22:59):
But me and my dog is quitedifferent from what they judge
to be a safe enough distance.
So I think
SPEAKER_01 (23:08):
it's hard to get across that concept.
I think so.
And the fact that, you know,often if they're parked up
against them, there might be ahedge as well or a pole or, as
you say, their wing mirror.
It's all those other sort ofaspects as well that kind of
come into play, too.
So even if there was room forsomeone to sort of squeeze
through, it's just adding to thecomplexity and the space that
(23:29):
you need, isn't it, as well?
I think.
No, 100%.
So that's fantastic.
Well, we've had lots ofinteresting conversations there
and hopefully kind of helping toraise awareness of the
challenges that temporaryobstacles force.
And that's the point.
They're temporary obstacles thatcould be moved.
And we just need people to bemore aware, you know, to not
(23:51):
leave things where theyshouldn't be and be aware of the
impact that they can have onpeople in terms of their
confidence to get around, interms of injuries that they may
be having.
You know, so just really, reallyimportant.
Well, thank you.
(24:33):
ladies both so much for sharingyour stories and the different
perspectives and I think ithighlights the fact that it
doesn't matter where you are inthe country whether you're in
Mayo or in South Dublin or youknow for myself in Kildare you
know it's the same problemeverywhere and we do just need
everybody to be aware and tomake a change you know make an
(24:55):
improvement for other people soThank you so much for listening
today.
If you need any support fromVision Ireland, you can always
log on to our website, which iswww.vi.ie.
Or you can call our info line on1-800-911-250.
(25:17):
That's 1-800-911-250.
And remember, please clear ourpaths.
We need it.
Thank you so much, everyone.
And we'll talk to you next time.
SPEAKER_00 (25:29):
Thanks for listening and see you next time.
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