Part of a series of articles for Lyric FM Radio

I’m a regular theatre goer. I’m also visually impaired. To me, the two are not mutually exclusive. Recently, I availed of a service which is new to Irish theatres, audio description. As I watched a performance of The Playboy of the Western World, I was fed a rich tapestry of visual detail as it happened through an earpiece.

This is the reality of life as a visually impaired person. We do the same things as everyone else; we just do them differently. Being visually impaired has placed me outside of the mainstream. Freed from awareness of prying eyes, I laugh loudly, break into song and choreograph my own strange dances.

Because I am limited in one area, I have developed extra layers of character so I can be unlimited in others. The extra layer of character I have developed enables me to shake off traditional perceptions of the visually impaired. I savour my achievements all the more. It lends freshness to life.

It’s still possible for me to have a rich sensual life with four and a half senses. My soundscapes are richer than my landscapes, loamy with beats, accents, exotic names, electronic voices. Words take on texture, voices act as a guide through emotional realms. My To me, sight is an overrated sense. Without the glare of visual detail, subtler things can be perceived.

I have been able to harness these unique perspectives and exploit them in my writing. A wise old journalist that I had the pleasure of meeting towards the start of my career advised me that I could carve a niche for myself by writing about my twulight ramblings. In both my creative writing and journalistic endeavours, I strive to portray the world that lies behind the stereotypes in a realistic way.

Other visually impaired people strive for equality through 100-mile cycles, computer wizardry or the wielding of placards. For me, writing is a vital tool for self-expression. I use it to shine a light into the corners of the visually impaired world that other outlets cannot reach. Writers thrive on difference, so in the road to publication that lies ahead of me, it looks as if I have a head start.