How can I start anywhere but with Water Love. What a friend he was for something like 66 years, I had adventures with him, I worked with him and I had some lovely lunches with him. When he died on Thursday there was a bit of my heart went with him not for romantic reasons, much more important a true friendship and respect, a man I could talk to and know it was private and a man who stimulated my professional life. He invited me onto his radio programme Day by Day and a couple of times a week I’d join him in the studio in Broadcasting House, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast with some story or other, You could walk into the studio and find him sitting with a brown paper bag over his head with two eye holds cut in the front – difficult to keep a straight face! I was once talking about a storm not unlike that last weekend, and half way through he began leaning to one side and making low level wind noises. That was his wonderful irriverant mischievous self. Walter was the midwife to Ask Anne. The title had it’s birth on the morning programme and he seemed delighted with the chance to wind me up
We were due to have lunch together in the Reform Club. We talked about it over the last few months but never got round to making a date, now it will never happen.
I first met Walter love then I was 17. I was keeping company with one of his friends and we were a tight group, my memory of those days is filled with laughter and naughtiness, Walter was full of mischief and loved every moment of life. When he was only 22 he flew to London to be interviewed for a post of studio manager with the BBC, a party of his mates claimed to the top of Slieve Donard to wave to him as his plane passed over en route to what was to become his destiny. Not good geography – the plane didn’t come anywhere near the Mountains of Mourne but he appreciated our optimism and he got the job. It was the beginning of a varied and spectacular career – broadcaster, author, after dinner speaker, wine buff, artist and a music aficionado specialising in jazz and commentator on Twelfth of July marches.
When you were friends with Walter you were friends with Mary. He was married for 28 years and sadly she died in the early 20s and he was devastated. Mary was an art teacher and she taught her husband a love of painting and his Christmas cards each year featured one of his own works of art.
Last time we talked on the phone he sounded bright and breezy and looking forward our lunch date. Sadly this will not now happen but I am left with lovey warm and funny memories of a special man,
Anne Frank
Yesterday was Holocaust Memorial Day and there was little publicity, low profile I was told. So to mark the day I watched Anne Frank’s Diary a remarkable film and a harrowing story of eight people living in a loft for two years to escape nazi prosecution. I made a documentary for RTE about Polish Jews and Auschwitz and in Warsaw we stood in a small courtyard in the middle of a ghetto, it was claustrophobic because of the stories high buildings on all four sides and to think that families hid in these half ruined buildings terrified by the sound of jack boots. It was a chilling experience I will carry with me for ever. A film well worth watching and thinking about.
What Is Audio Description And Why It Is So Important
Watching the Master’s snooker a couple of weeks ago and listening through ear buds was very satisfactory however, at one time I left the room, at first I was still able to follow the play be it sound with no picture. But soon I was lost, the commentators didn’t paint a picture even at the vital moments. I know it’s television and a programme to be watched but many thousands of men and women do depend on television even though they are unable to see the picture clearly because of sight impairment. Just a few anchor words, a reminder of who’s at the table, why the audience is clapping would help.
Needless Banter
No one wants commentators rabbiting on but try ‘watching’ with your eyes closed and you’ll see what I mean. I contacted the Royal National Institute for the Blind and spoke to the man who is trying to get audio description organised for as many television programmes as possible, especially sport. Fans at live football matches can use head sets or an app on a smart phone to hear a detailed commentary, painting a picture so it all makes sense in the mind’s eye and gives an enjoyable visit, as he said television commentators just make comments on what we can see anyway, compare that with the radio commentators who are our eyes, a skill enjoyed by two Belfastmen, Alan Green said to be one of 16 greatest British football commentators of all time and Jim Neilly MBE who, whether it’s rugby or boxing, is as knowledgeable as he is exciting.
“I hope that I have brought the games to life down the years,” he reflected. “And made people enjoy them even more than they would normally.”
Seeing – or hearing – Ronnie O’Sullivan play against Ali Carter was something of a game of cat with a mouse until his brutal crushing in the last couple of frames. But what an unpleasant man and that’s putting it mildly! I think O’Sullivan has lost a lot of support despite the fact that apparently he suffers depression and has mental health issues, it’s not acceptable to behave in such a manner in front of audiences both in the snooker hall and at home where children are watching and taking note of how a role model behaves. We saw it unfold, colour after colour, many of those with sight impairment did not. Sight loss is a spectrum, 93% of people with sight loss have some useful vision, 57,500 in Northern Ireland, with 7% unable to see anything. With an aging population it’s estimated that this figure will reach 73,200 by 2032.
I asked a friend about his blindness. He lost his sight when he was only five years of age. Does he in fact have a mind’s eye where he can imagine things? No. He ‘watches’ television and the fact that audio description is common these days has made his life so much more pleasurable.
Words Matter
“For instance I enjoy Coronation Street but until recently I had no interest in Strictly Come Dancing until I could listen to a voice describing the moves in great detail. I don’t see colours so that doesn’t mean anything but this service, which is becoming more and more common, has revolutionised life for so many people who can now appreciate these programmes with their families.”
He has chosen not to have a guide dog which he knows can be a life saving companion to others, he prefers a long cane and says he enjoys a normal life, married with three children, working and supporting the RNIB. Attitude is important and he is positive and upbeat about life.
Talking about role models and positive attitudes, the comedian Chris McCausland is a breath of fresh air. He’s blind due to retinitis pigmentosa. He graduated in 2000, with a BSc Honours in software engineering, a spell as a web developer and he worked in sales and in 2003 had his first success as a stand-up comic. He is truly funny and often jokes about his lack of sight and makes programmes which give people knowledge of the condition, he’s hilarious on Would I Lie To You, has appeared in EastEnders and CBeebies and last year astonishing in The Wonder of the World I Can’t See where Harry Hill, Liza Tarbuck and Tom Allan described famous land marks and it was fun and it was educational.
The RNIB website is full of information and details of the important Technology for Life Fair today at 11 a.m. in the Europa Hotel.
“RNIB’s vision is to create a world where sight loss is not a barrier – we do this by equipping people to thrive.” Helpline 03031239999, web page www.rnib.org.uk/northernireland.
