Disabled musician plays music with his eyes

A young musician from Cork who suffers from cerebral palsy uses music software to enable him to play the bodhran in a band.

Cillian McSweeney is confined to a wheelchair but is able to pursue his passion for music thanks to the software which registers his eye movements and translates them into bodhran rhythms.

Cillian McSweeney uses software to play music with his eyesA camera on the computer tracks Cillian’s eyes as he looks at various squares on the screen, each square triggers bodhran loop that he has pre-composed.

Cillian joined a group called Sound Out which uses technology to help people with disabilities to play music. He now plays in an Irish music band called Circles.

His mother Angela McSweeney said that he wants to be an inspiration to others and show that just because you’re in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you can’t play an instrument.

Cillian said: “I want to perform music and play any instrument.”

Take a look at the video from RTÉ News below (You must be logged into Facebook to see the RTÉ video)

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By Michael Kehoe

Michael Kehoe is a writer for Irish Music Daily and Ireland Calling. His favourite Irish Music bands are Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys.