Blindness is no barrier when it comes to cycling and running

There are few people who can boast of having cycled in every county in Ireland and on every continent in the world, but Geraldine Looney has achieved this remarkable goal within the 10 years after she was blinded in a tragic accident at the age of 16.

Now an Irish Guide for the Blind running ambassador, the Limerick woman (37) had just started her Leaving Cert year in 1993 when she was involved in an accident. (She is still not ready to speak about that openly.)

“It was a massive shock to lose my sight overnight. It was the support of my family and friends that got me through the trauma and shock at the time. It’s only in the past four or five years that I sat down and actually grieved the loss of my sight and went through the whole emotional grieving process and have come to accept it,” she says.

A naturally adventurous person, Looney joined the National Council for The Blind’s Blazing Saddles Cycling Club and in August, 1994 – only a year after she lost her sight – she found herself in Australia cycling from Sydney to Brisbane on the back of a tandem bicycle.

“I always loved cycling. I grew up on a farm in West Limerick and always cycled everywhere. I had always dreamt of going away too, so cycling in Australia was a dream come true.”

Cycling the world

Over the next 10 years, Looney travelled all over the world, tandem cycling in places as far flung as South Africa, South America, Thailand and Malaysia as well as all over Ireland. Having left school after her accident without doing the Leaving Cert, she decided to go back to college as a mature student at the age of 23, graduating from University College Cork with a commerce degree.

She has been working as a tutor in typing and computer skills with visually impaired children for the past four years but is now starting an applied bachelor of arts in counselling and psychotherapy in Dublin and hopes to pursue a career in this field.

Her own experience has given her a unique understanding of loss, grief and trauma and great empathy with others.

When she lost her sight initially, she did a long cane mobility course with the Irish Guide Dogs and she found the cane very suitable for travelling, as she could just fold it up and put it in her bag everywhere she went.

After achieving her cycling goal, she decided it was time to take a break from the long-haul travel and cycle challenges and she took up hill walking and hiking instead.

Two years ago, her life changed for the better when she got her first guide dog, Irv, also through the Irish Guide Dogs.

“Irv is absolutely wonderful, he is such a loving creature and lovely company. He has made it easier and faster for me to get around and he’s such a social dog that people are attracted to him.

“The Irish Guide Dogs have given me such huge support since I did my first course with them 20 years ago. The freedom and independence they’ve facilitated for me has been life-changing and I wanted to give something back so I decided to take part in this year’s Cork Mini Marathon in aid of them.”

Pulled ligament

Looney has been training since April for the marathon with her sighted coach Kieran Reilly, who runs alongside her. They each hold one end of a hairband.

As he turns left or right, she feels the movement in the hairband and turns with him. Unfortunately, she pulled a ligament in her foot during a recent training session and will have to walk the race rather than run it.

She is encouraging others to join her in the Cork Mini-Marathon on September 28th in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs.

You can follow Geraldine’s training and blog at guidedogs.ie.

Sign up to run or walk for Irish Guide Dogs today: lo-call 1850-506300 or email fundraising@ guidedogs.ie to request a free marathon pack which includes a T-shirt and sponsorship cards.