Blind man bids to study photography in college

Victim of savage sectarian mob attack reclaims life with passion for cameras

- BY REBECCA BLACK

A MAN blinded in an attack more than 20 years ago hopes to realise his dream of studying photography.

Aidan Murray, 65, said he takes pride in the fact that most people do not realise he has a severe sight impairment as they view his portfolio.

He can see very little at night but has blurry vision during the day and focuses a lot on light.

Aidan, from Whiteabbey, Co Antrim, uses manual settings across his camera to craft his images, using automatic only for the focus.

He has faced many challenges in his life, and was an electrician and then a taxi driver before the attack in 2002 left him unable to work.

Aidan recalled: "I was walking home from a bar and I got attacked by a sectarian gang, and as a result I lost most of my sight and half my left ear was bit off.