Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind

12/10/2026

Could you help us change lives in Carlow?

We're looking for volunteers to help get our Carlow volunteer fundraising branch!

Our local fundraising branches play a vital role in supporting our work, helping us provide life-changing Guide Dogs, Assistance Dogs and Community Dogs to people and families who need them.

We’re inviting anyone who would like to get involved, meet like-minded people and make a real difference in their local community to come along to an information meeting.

🐾 Where: Seven Oaks Hotel, Carlow
🐾 When: Thursday, 15 October
🐾 Time: 6.30pm

Whether you have a little time to spare or would love to become more involved in local fundraising, we’d love to hear from you!

Come along, find out more and discover how you can be part of something truly special.

Please share this post and help us spread the word. Together, we can continue changing lives!

12/10/2026

What happens when you bring together three sporting legends, a room full of generous supporters, a bit of friendly competition, and a very special cause? A brilliant night celebrating 50 years of Irish Guide Dogs!

From playing Heads or Tails (with a few lucky winners!) to some spirited auction bidding, there was plenty of fun, laughter and generosity throughout the evening at our exclusive corporate Sporting Legends event last Thursday in the Rochestown Park Hotel. Not to mention our seven-time All-Ireland-winning ambassador Amy O'Connor, who drew cheers from the audience when she held the O’Duffy Cup aloft.

But beyond the sporting stories, the fundraising and the friendly rivalry, it was the poignant stories from our clients of the life-changing impact of our work that really brought home why we were all there.

Every Guide Dog, Assistance Dog and Community Dog represents so much more than a partnership with a four-legged friend. They represent greater independence, confidence, mobility, safety and, for many, a whole new world of possibilities.

As we celebrate 50 years of changing lives, it was a wonderful reminder of what can be achieved when people come together behind a cause that matters.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, supported the auction, got involved in the fundraising and helped make the evening such a success.

A special thank you to our fantastic event partners, Rochestown Park Hotel and Dell Technologies, our MC Jonathan Healy, and all our corporate partners and supporters whose generosity helps us continue our work.

And, of course, thank you to our ambassadors Roy Keane and Sonia O’Sullivan, and Jimmy Barry-Murphy for sharing their stories, giving us plenty to smile about and helping make it a night to remember!

Thank you to everyone who made the evening so memorable.

11/10/2026

A beautiful new bench now has a special place in Crossmolina Cemetery, Co. Mayo, thanks to Guide Dog owner Kieran Davidson and his friend, who lovingly made the bench as a gift to the local community.

Inscribed with the words:

May This Bench Offer Rest and Reflection
Gifted to the people of Crossmolina
By Irish Guide Dogs

Kieran and his Guide Dog Caffie are pictured with members of the cemetery committee beside the bench.

A simple gesture, but one that will offer a place to pause, rest and reflect for years to come.

Thank you, Kieran, for helping us continue to change lives in so many different ways.

10/10/2026

🐾 Meet the J Litter! 🐾

Three tiny bundles of paws, playfulness and plenty of potential have arrived!

Born recently to proud mum Silka and dad Aldor, the J Litter includes:
💚 Juno – the little girl
💚 Jeepers – one of the boys
💚 Jazz – the other boy

These little pups have a big future ahead of them. One day, they could become Guide Dogs, Assistance Dogs or Community Dogs, helping to change the lives of people across Ireland.

But getting a puppy from those first precious days to becoming a fully trained working dog takes time, care and significant investment.

Will you help give the J Litter the best possible start?

Your donation today can help provide the food, veterinary care, training and support they need as they take their first steps towards a life of changing lives.

Donate today and help puppies like Juno, Jeepers and Jazz become future life changers: https://donate.guidedogs.ie/page/gd-header-donate?_gl=1*1vft7q6*_gcl_au*MTAyMDAzNzE4Mi4xNzkxMjAzNjE5*_ga*MTIwMDE3MTYyOS4xNzkxMjAzNjE5*_ga_GR0BRDFRSW*czE3OTEzMDIwMTIkbzkkZzEkdDE3OTEzMDMzMzckajYwJGwwJGgw

09/10/2026

Win a Brand New Ford Puma!

Start 2027 in style with the chance to win a brand-new 271 Ford Puma! Raffle tickets are just €5, and the lucky winner will be drawn on 28 January 2027.

Don’t miss your chance to drive away with a brand-new car while supporting our life-changing work.

Rules apply.

Buy your ticket today: https://shop.guidedogs.ie/products/car-raffle-ticket-2027?_gl=1*a5zoyg*_gcl_au*MTAyMDAzNzE4Mi4xNzkxMjAzNjE5*_ga*MTIwMDE3MTYyOS4xNzkxMjAzNjE5*_ga_GR0BRDFRSW*czE3OTEzMDAwMDkkbzgkZzEkdDE3OTEzMDAwMTMkajU2JGwwJGgw

08/10/2026

Today is World Sight Day!

🐾 10 Pups. Countless Lives Changed. 🐾

What does it take to raise a future Guide, Assistance or Community Dog?

For Puppy Raisers Deirdre Fahy and Paul Finnegan, it has become a remarkable part of their lives – and one that has fitted alongside their work and home life.

This summer, we celebrated their incredible milestone of raising 10 of our puppies. In fact, Deirdre and Paul have raised 12 puppies to date, with their latest, Parker, entering advanced training in May.

They’ve also opened their home as Brood Holders, helping to raise multiple litters of future life-changing dogs. They are currently hosting French Brood Volcane, who recently welcomed nine beautiful puppies.

Their story is a great example of how Puppy Raising can become part of everyday life. It can work around different routines, including working life, with the support, training and guidance provided by our expert trainers.

And while there is plenty of puppy cuddling involved, the role is about so much more – helping each puppy develop the skills, confidence and experiences they need for their future career.

We’re hugely grateful to Deirdre and Paul for their time, dedication and commitment to helping change lives, one puppy at a time.

Could Puppy Raising fit into your life?

Whether you’re working, retired, part of a family or looking for a rewarding way to give back, you could help prepare a future life-changer for the next stage of their journey.

Puppy Raisers play a vital role in preparing our puppies for their future careers.

Find out more about becoming a Puppy Raiser and help give a future life-changer the very best start: https://www.guidedogs.ie/how-you-can-help/volunteer-with-our-dogs/puppy-raising

07/10/2026

Will we see you at the O’Brien’s W**e Festival?

Join us this Friday and Saturday at the RDS Dublin, where you’ll find our team with some pawsome four-legged friends, a selection of merchandise and who knows… perhaps a little sample of w**e or two!

Come say hello, meet our amazing dogs and help us celebrate 50 years of changing lives.

Get your tickets: https://www.obriensw**e.ie/pages/obriens-w**e-festival

06/10/2026

Delighted to be part of the 's fireworks awareness campaign, highlighting an issue that can have a significant impact on our dogs – and, in turn, on the people who rely on them every day.

CEO Tim O'Mahony said:

“Halloween can be a particularly challenging and unsettling time for people who rely on Guide Dogs, Assistance Dogs and Community Dogs. While our dogs are highly trained to cope with many different environments and situations, the sudden and unpredictable noise of fireworks can cause significant fear and anxiety.

For many of our clients, the impact begins well before Halloween night. They may avoid going out after dark, change their usual routines or take additional precautions to keep their dog safe and settled. This can have a real impact on their independence and ability to go about their daily lives.

Our expert trainers support dogs and their owners when fireworks cause distress, but in some cases the impact can be severe. If a Guide, Assistance or Community Dog is unable to continue working as a result of fireworks-related trauma, the consequences for their owner can be profound – affecting their independence and mobility while they wait to be matched with another suitable dog.

We are asking everyone to think about the impact fireworks can have, not just on pets, but on working dogs and the people who depend on them every day. By choosing not to use fireworks, we can help make Halloween safer and less frightening for everyone.”

Help us spread the word by sharing this message.

Click the link to find out more: https://youtu.be/oNk-uWNFdh4

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

06/10/2026

Next up in our Drive for Your Community initiative, we have FREE test drives available this Saturday, 10 October in from 10 am to 4 pm!

Explore the vehicle range, and Ford will donate €30 to support our work !

Find out more here: https://www.guidedogs.ie/events/ford-drive-for-your-community-macroom-cork

05/10/2026