What a long hot sporting summer it has been for the children of St Joseph’s Primary School for Children with Vision Impairment, based at the ChildVision complex in Drumcondra.
Well, really it was in the spring, and spring became the summer, who’d have believed it could grow so strong? From an April meeting, we were soon into junior parkrun to footie fests to swim and cycling supports.
St Joseph’s
On Tuesday morning, 17 April, Gwenda Johnson, Principal at St Joseph’s, welcomed our gang to the school staff room. Joe Geraghty, from Vision Sports and a past pupil there, recalled his last time in the staff room was 45 years earlier, and he’d been in big trouble!
All good on this occasion as Joe Geraghty was joined by Alex Whelan from Vision Sports, Eamonn Tilley from Paratriathlon Ireland and Joan Ryan from Parkrun Ireland. In less than an hour, the plot was mapped out.
Football and Mayfest
Alex, with the FAI, got football going in April. By May, several pupils attended the annual Vision Sports MayFest, a multi-sport extravaganza, at ALSAA, beside Dublin Airport.
Meanwhile, Eamonn Tilley, availing of the capital funding which Vision Sports secured from the Government Dormant Accounts, sourced some junior bicycles. Vision Sports also splashed out with some swim supports.
Junior Parkrun
On Tuesday, 12 June, 19 children, accompanying staff and parents from St Joseph’s took part in a Junior Parkrun event at St Anne’s Park, arranged by Joan Ryan and Junior Parkrun volunteers. From the warm up to the finish line, we all had a great time!
FAI Football Fest
A few days later the FAI stepped in with a football fest sports day – another massive success.
ChildVision Summer Camp
On the first week of July ChildVision hosted their summer camp. Again, Vision Sports and our partners were on hand to support football, tennis, cycling and much more.
National Inclusion Games
Next stop: our child and youth based National Inclusion Games at Trinity College on 12 October.