Vision Sports Ireland and Kerry drivers – making dreams come true

Vision Sports Ireland and Kerry drivers – making dreams come true

Photos by Ross Delaney Media and Sean Moriarty

Kerry-based father and son team Jason and Mossie Costello helped make dreams come true for several visually impaired people this week.

Vision Sport Ireland, in collaboration with Sara McFadden, Ireland’s only visually impaired rally co-driver, organised the two-day track day at Mondello Park.

The morning sessions allow visually impaired drivers, with the help of an instructor, drive road cars on the County Kildare track.

For many of the younger participants, it is their first time ever driving a car. Those who fully or partially lost their sight later in life were able to regain a previously lost freedom in what is a very emotional day for participants and their families.

As an added treat, rally drivers are invited to attend the afternoon session and they offer high-speed laps to the participants. It is their first time ever experiencing the thrill of a rally car.

Jason and his son Mossie shared driving duties in the family-owned Ford Escort Mk2

Adam Patterson was given the opportunity to co-drive for Jason.

“It was brilliant,” he said. “I have never done something like this, it was very loud, but I would do it all again if I was allowed.”

Mossie also drove his former Hyundai Junior Rally car which is now owned and run by the McFadden family.  

Donegal man Paidraig McLaughlin grew up in a house that loved fast cars. His late father Jack was a ‘rally man’ and never missed the Donegal International Rally.

He enjoyed a passenger ride with Mossie in the family Escort.

“I have been in fast cars before but never experienced anything like this,” he said. “The g-forces were unreal – really enjoyed it. Vision Sports Ireland make dreams come true. Today was very well organised, my dad loved race cars and rallies, I did this for him, he would have loved to have been here.”

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