Leo's vision for Tuam Greenway to rally families to the cause

COMMUNITY campaigns have rarely proved as inclusive as the current attempt to convince the authorities to financially support a study into whether or not Tuam’s disused railway line could be redeveloped as a greenway.

But behind the social media postings and public meetings are the personal stories of those whose lives could be made better in real terms by having such an amenity on their doorsteps.

Leo Hynes, 45, was a keen sportsman who exercised his talents across a number of codes, from Gaelic football to cycling, with the odd triathlon thrown in for good measure.
But life dealt a cruel blow with a diagnosis of a rare degenerative eye condition almost eight years ago that has left him virtually blind.
The married father of three young children, along with his wife Aisling, are two of the most ardent campaigners for a greenway in the town as the amenity would provide a life-changing outlet for their family.
“Back in 2009 I noticed something wrong when I was doing my Sudoku puzzles, where the grids were curved when they should have been straight. So I went to my optician in Galway who immediately referred me to a consultant in the Galway Clinic,” said Leo.
“They had found an abnormality at the back of my right eye that was eventual diagnosed as age-related macular degeneration or AMD. The blood vessels at the back of my eye are leaking and deforming my central vision. Where most people can see from a distance of 60 feet I have to be six foot from an object to see it.

Read the full feature in this week's edition