Blind musician helps others access college course

A blind musician, who overcame a series of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve a first class honours degree, has drawn on his own experiences to help other visually-impaired musicians get the most from their college course.

Robert Creed, now 23, weighed just 900g at birth and spent months on life support. He lost sight in one eye at the age of one, and in his second eye, twice, at age 16. Doctors initially succeeded in reconnecting a detached retina but it became detached again and further surgery failed.

Despite the challenges, Robert managed to master the button accordion and the tin whistle, as well as composing music since he was a child. For his final year exams in arts and music, he brought together a group of friends and family for a recital of music he had composed, taught, and arranged, and was awarded a first class honours degree at University College Cork.