Vision Ireland: David Redmond on Advocacy and Accessibility

In this episode of The Blind Chick, hosts Penn and Moses Street welcome special guest David Redmond from Vision Ireland. David shares his personal story growing up with congenital glaucoma and other vision conditions in Cork, Ireland, and how his journey led him into the world of accessible technology and media. He opens up about the challenges of vision loss, the role of assistive technology like JAWS, ZoomText, and VoiceOver, and how his career path shifted from mainstream radio to producing podcasts and tech content for Vision Ireland. The conversation explores similarities and differences between Ireland and the United States when it comes to employment challenges, accessibility, and available resources for blind and low-vision individuals. David also highlights the mission of Vision Ireland as a one-stop shop for support, advocacy, and technology training, while sharing his own perspective on building community and friendships within the blind community. Listeners are reminded about Aftersight’s upcoming Accessible Hike in Boulder, Colorado on September 13th, and encouraged to register for a day of inclusion, support, and adventure in the mountains. Contact Info Guest: David Redmond, Vision Ireland Website: https://www.visionireland.ie Aftersight Phone: (720) 712-8856 Email: [email protected] Website: https://aftersight.org Producer: Jonathan Price, Aftersight Show Credits Hosts: Penn Street & Moses Street Guest: David Redmond (Vision Ireland) Producer: Jonathan Price, Aftersight Chapter Markers 00:00 — Intro & banter with Penn, Moses, and Jonathan 02:01 — Aftersight Accessible Hike announcement (Sept. 13) 03:00 — Meet David Redmond: growing up in Cork, Ireland 04:15 — Navigating school with glaucoma and assistive tech 06:36 — Facing fears and preparing for possible vision loss 08:53 — Everyday independence vs. acting “more blind” in new settings 10:20 — From media studies to Vision Ireland 13:19 — Talking Technology: podcasts, newsletters, and advocacy 15:43 — Employment struggles and accessibility barriers 18:04 — Vision Ireland’s “one stop shop” of services 20:23 — Building friendships through camps and blind community events 22:42 — Differences between U.S. and Ireland’s blindness services 25:01 — Rebranding from NCBI to Vision Ireland 27:16 — Outro & preview of Part 2 with David Redmond