A TRALEE man is inviting people to the “Dip at Dawn” fundraiser at Locke’s Beach, Fenit at 5am on Friday next, June 21.

Billy Ryle wants the public to go along to celebrate the Summer Solstice and dip, splash, swim or paddle with the thousands of people across the world in a dip at dawn for Vision Ireland, formerly National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI).

Vision Ireland’s mission is to enable people who are blind and vision impaired to overcome the barriers that impede their independence and participation in society.

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This fundraiser for Vision Ireland is the brainchild of Senator Martin Conway of Ennistymon, Co. Clare, who has lived most of his life with sight loss.

Martin knows the struggle of those who are faced with sight loss so on the 21st June he is encouraging the public to take to the sea, river, bath, sink, and dip at dawn as we welcome the longest day in the year as a symbol of support for the 296, 000 people in Ireland who are blind or visually impaired.

A few years ago, Billy contracted a disease in his eyes called Fuchs Dystrophy which required him to have a corneal transplant operation in each eye at Bon Secours Hospital, Cork in order to save his sight. Fortunately, both surgeries were successful and Billy’s eyesight was restored to a functional level.

You can register for the ‘Dip at Dawn’ on the Vision Ireland website, www.vi.ie and even if you can’t make it to Fenit you can still register and have your own Dip, Splash, Swim, Shower, Bath or Paddle at your convenience.

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