19.06.2017
Service of Thanksgiving for 40 Years of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind
The gentle confidence of guide dogs and assistance dogs complemented Christ Church Cathedral’s Choral Evensong yesterday afternoon (Sunday June 18) for a Service of Thanksgiving celebrating 40 years of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
The service was attended by both the Church of Ireland and Catholic archbishops of Dublin, Archbishop Michael Jackson and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. The service was led by Dean Dermot Dunne and sung by the cathedral choir. It incorporated a blessing of the dogs by Archbishop Jackson.
The address was given by Pat Burke, vice chairman of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, who said the service was about saying thanks to all who had contributed to the organisation since its foundation by Jim Denehy and Mary Dunlop. Prior to 1976, it was necessary to go to England to get a guide dog but thanks to the vision, enthusiasm and determination of the founders, many Irish adults and children have benefited from the services of guide dogs and assistance dogs, he said.
Last year the organisation trained 245 clients and all their work is supported by a large group of volunteers from puppy walkers to fund raisers, Mr Burke said. He said a lot had been achieved over the last 40 years but that was just the beginning and there was more that could be done he said.
“We will continue to learn from the things that work well and, more importantly, from the things that don’t work and we will continue to listen and learn from our clients, volunteers and supporters. One person without a guide dog is one person too many. All of us here today know the value of the work we do – it changes people’s lives and we are thankful for it,” he stated.
