Shamrock Rovers Team Up with NCBI Access4All at Tallaght Stadium.
Shamrock Rovers F.C. is delighted to announce the launch of a new service for visually impaired fans whereby the club will provide audio commentary of the whole match to fans situated in a reserved accessible section in the West (Main) Stand at Tallaght Stadium.
The commentary service will be provided by a group of Rovers fans who have undertaken a training module with NCBI to gain an understanding and awareness of disabilities. The training included the correct way to sight guide individuals and to know the purpose of the audio commentary and specific requirements involved.
The audio commentary service will commence at the game against Finn Harps on Friday 13th March and will be available for all remaining Shamrock Rovers home games in 2020.
The audio service is available free of charge to all visually impaired football fans who will be greeted at the club by a co-ordinator and brought to the seating area and accompanied for the match by our volunteers. The cost of audio equipment has been kindly funded by South Dublin County Council.
Match tickets are available at the club ticket office Thurs 12-4pm, Fri 12-7pm, online at http://shamrockrovers.ie/match-tickets/ or over the phone 01 4605948. Visually impaired fans should note to select West Stand Access4All tickets when purchasing, family and friends attending with a visually impaired fan availing of the service will be able to sit close by the reserved section, family and friends should ensure to purchase West Stand tickets.
Speaking on behalf of Shamrock Rovers, Mark Lynch said “Our goal for all who attend our matches at Tallaght Stadium is to make matchday as inclusive and enjoyable as possible. The new commentary service will appeal to supporters who otherwise may have chosen not to attend a game because they didn’t feel that they were as much a part of the occasion as everyone else. Now those with a visual impairment can come to the stadium, be taken care of by the Rovers’ Access4All volunteers who are managing the service and enjoy the atmosphere with all the rest of the home support with the action on the pitch relayed to them by a specially designed audio headpiece at each match.”
“This has been made possible with the support of Maggie and James at NCBI, Nicola Coffey at Tallaght Stadium and South Dublin County Council with its generous funding for the equipment and, most of all, by a group of committed Rovers fans that want to be part of giving this opportunity to other fans.”
Maggie Richardson NCBI Day Service Manager said: “We are delighted to have worked with Shamrock Rovers to promote inclusivity for accessing live sport. Working with Mark and the 5 volunteers delivering our Access4All Programme has been a great and positive experience, as it enables people with disabilities and sight loss to connect with their local community. We look forward to continue to support and work with the club in the future”.
Nicola Coffey, Tallaght Stadium Manager said: ‘We are delighted to play a small role in such a brilliant initiative. We saw how well the NCBI pilot programme worked last year and when Shamrock Rovers asked South Dublin County Council to come on board, we did so without hesitation. The installation of the equipment will not only benefit Shamrock Rovers fans, it opens up the doors for organisers of other events here to provide Access4all.’”
Pictured at the launch of the service are professional broadcast commentators Con Murphy (eir Sport), Stephen Alkin (RTÉ Sport) and Adrian Eames (RTÉ Sport) along with Shamrock Rovers players Sean Kavanagh, Graham Burke and Rhys Marshall. Also in the group is Mark Lynch and Phelim Warren (Shamrock Rovers) along with Maggie Richardson (NCBI)
For more information contact marklynch@shamrockrovers.ie
