Tracks of My Life with Tommy McInulty
Nov 22, 2021, 12:23 PM
Tracks of My Life is a show on RNIB Connect Radio presented and produced by Toby Davey where he invites a guest to take us on a journey through their life, sharing the tracks that mark important moments which bring back memories to them.
Their chosen tracks of their life might include the first track they can remember hearing, the first track they bought, a number of tracks that mark moments in their life and the final track, a track that they would like to pass on which might give people hope for the future.
In this trimmed down podcast version of Tracks of My Life Toby is joined by Guide Dog owner Tommy McInulty who had a very enjoyable career in the Merchant Navy before losing his sight overnight back in November 1983. Tommy has just retired after a very successful and fulfilling career in the sight loss sector first with Open Sight in Hampshire and then 12 years as Senior Regional Manager at the Macular Society.
In Tommy's Tracks of My Life we will go on a journey from childhood memories in Clydebank growing up with his Brother in a very loving and caring foster family. Then at the age of 16 joining the Merchant Navy, with a very enjoyable and happy life at sea working on the cruise ships until that night in November 1983 when Tommy lost his sight overnight.
We will then hear from Tommy about how he coped with losing his sight, time at Manor House in Torquay for rehabilitation and training before starting his successful and fulfilling career in the sight loss sector.
Tommy will then of course talk about the confidence and independence all his Guide Dogs have given him over the years and how their characters have maybe started to slightly influence his own character too.
Tommy will then reflect on how much his life feels complete now after meeting his partner Paul back in 2012 and how his career in the sight loss sector has been a way of giving back to other visually impaired people the support, advice, and kindness that he received from many organisations and individuals when he lost his sight overnight back in November 1983.
You can catch the hour-long version of Tracks of My Life with Toby’s guest’s music tracks in full by tuning in to RNIB Connect Radio every Tuesday at 7pm, repeated on Thursday at 1pm and Sunday at 8pm.