Ryan relishing new challenges

Irish Paralympic cyclist Peter Ryan has endured more than most in his young life but the 23-year-old from Upperchurch in Tipperary believes that losing his sight in the space of a few months isn’t going to halt a promising sporting career.

A former dual county minor, Ryan developed an extremely rare condition known as Leberf Hereditary Optic Neuropathy in 2010.

It’s so uncommon that very little is known about it. Unfortunately, what is known is that it takes the central vision away in both eyes rapidly, it’s hereditary (males get it and females are the carriers) and, worst of all, there is no cure.