May 30, 2012
A weekend of watersports for everyone
Today Tuesday 29 May, the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) with the assistance of TV personality Kathryn Thomas launched SAIL SPREE a new initiative to encourage people to get on the water over the weekend of 23/24 June 2012.
The campaign is similar to the nationally acclaimed ‘Culture Night’ whereby clubs and training centres all over Ireland will open their doors to the public to try sailing, windsurfing, power boating or jet skiing. Many clubs will also provide on shore activities including entertainment, food, drink and music guaranteeing a great day out for all the family.
Commenting on today’s launch ISA Chief Executive Harry Hermon stated “We are surrounded by a beautiful natural resource which provides us with unlimited capabilities for recreation. The ISA is passionate about introducing new people to the excitement of sailing, windsurfing and motorboating. No matter what your age, location or budget, whether you want to join in a fun recreational hobby or competitive sport, there will be a club or school near you offering that very service. We hope that opening our doors for Sail Spree will encourage local communities to try something new and explore the possibilities on their doorstep”.
Sail Spree has been developed in acknowledgment of the increased interest in sailing over the past number of years. Events such as the Volvo Ocean Race and the Tall Ships Festivals have brought sailing into the public eye and have undoubtedly sparked intrigue in this thrilling outdoor sport. With the Olympics only two months away and with eight sailors representing Ireland at the Games, sailing will continue to capture the nation’s attention.
Probably the biggest event running during Sail Spree will be Seafest 2012, hosted in Rathmullan on Lough Swilly, Donegal. The event will incorporate all forms of sailing, from dinghies to cruisers as well as windsurfing and powerboating. Combined with this festival of the sea will be food festivals and a plethora of on shore activities and entertainment too numerable to mention. The event will offer spectators and participants the opportunity to join in the fun on and off the water.
Travelling south and the islands off the Cork coast will also be providing a host of activities in conjunction with the Sail Spree celebrations. Heir Island Sailing School, in Roaring Water Bay is providing a weekend of sailing, games, food and drink to keep its visitors entertained.
With 14 venues already registered in the Cork county, the public have plenty of options to keep them occupied. Kinsale Yacht Club will be hosting a special event on the Saturday to create awareness of the wonderful opportunities for children and adults with disabilities who would like to try sailing. As the home club for John Twomey, Anthony Hegarty and Ian Costello, the Providence Resources Irish Paralympic Sailors, Kinsale Yacht Club are experienced in the areas of support, advice and information for anyone with a disability hoping to get into sailing.
On the east coast, Wexford Harbour Boat & Tennis Club will be hosting its Sail Spree event to coincide with the John Barry Maritime Festival 2012. The weekend will play host to a number of activities and give attendees the opportunity to try sailing, power boating, windsurfing and jet skiing.
2012 will be a big year for sailing in Ireland. One of the most prestigious events in world ocean racing; the Volvo Ocean Race is returning to Galway Bay and the Tall Ships will be hosted in the Dublin Docklands. Derry city will host the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in June, Cork Week takes place in July and the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth World Championships will be held in Dublin Bay in July for the first time. There will be no shortage of international level competition on offer for spectators.
The pinnacle of the international season will be Ireland’s participation in the London Olympics where eight sailors in five boats will compete. The Providence Resources Irish Olympic Sailors have been identified as a ‘genuine prospect’ for a medal winning opportunity this summer. Many of those competing have come up through the ranks of the ISA Performance Pathway and Sail Spree will provide an opportunity for the next generation of Olympic contenders to discover the sport.
For more details of events in your area check out the website www.SailSpree.ie.
May 29, 2012
“Saying Thank You to Ireland’s Team of Sporting Volunteers”
London 2012 bound Sycerika McMahon paid tribute to the volunteers who played a vital role in her sporting career, when she helped launch the 2012 Volunteers in Irish Sport Awards today.
McMahon was joined at today’s launch at the Aviva Stadium by Dublin under-21 footballer Philip Ryan and fitness trainer to the Dublin Hurling Panel, Martin Kennedy.
McMahon said “It is impossible to get to the Olympics irrespective of the sport without a huge number of people making sacrifices to get you to that point. This includes friends, family, coaches but also the people at my club and school who invested me at the beginning when I was just another child learning to swim.”
Martin Kennedy, left, fitness trainer to the Dublin Hurling panel, swimmer Sycerika McMahon and Dublin Under-21 footballer Philip Ryan, in attendance at the launch of the 2012 Volunteers in Irish Sport Awards. Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, Dublin. Picture credit: Paul Mohan
Kennedy meanwhile explained his role with the Dublin Hurling Panel, “Dublin Hurling is a perfect example of the huge positive impact volunteerism is having on Irish Sport. The current group of Dublin Senior hurlers, whom I am lucky enough to be involved with as a professional coach, have arrived at this elite stage of their sporting careers as a result of the hours of passion, dedication and effort that volunteers afforded them as they developed as players and athletes in their local schools and GAA clubs. The work of the volunteer is really the foundation of Irish Sport and formal recognition and appreciation for their efforts is well deserved.”
This is the fourth edition of the Volunteers in Irish Sport Awards, which is an initiative of the Federation of Irish Sport in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council, the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport and The Community Foundation of Ireland. The first awards were presented in 2007 and are designed to recognise the contribution of the 450,000 Irish adults who volunteer in sport every year. Sport remains the single biggest driver of voluntary activity in Ireland
Members of the public are invited to nominate an individual whose contribution to their sport has made a real difference and to provide details on the person nominated. Ten winners will be selected to receive an award from the nominations received. An Overall or Lifetime award to honour a volunteer, who has consistently given of their time for a sport, a team, or an event over many years, will also be awarded. Full details of the scheme and how to enter can be found on line at www.volunteersinsport.ie. The website includes a nomination form and guidelines for the 2012 awards. Nominations can be made by clubs, individuals or sporting bodies.
Previous winners include John O’Shea father to Euro 2012 bound John O’Shea, Brian Craig of Sailing who is largely responsible for attracting the Youth World Sailing Championships which will see 300 sailors from 70 countries descend on Dun Laoghaire in July, Dublin City Marathon organiser Jim Aughney and coach to Olympic Silver Medallist Kenny Egan, Gerry Fleming who has been coaching at Neilstown Boxing Club for more than 20 years.
The deadline for nominations for the 2012 Volunteers in Irish Sport Awards is 3rd August 2012.
May 11, 2012
“The Gathering gives each and every one of us an opportunity to do something positive for our country in our own unique way.”
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore have asked every community in Ireland to get involved in The Gathering Ireland 2013, the biggest tourism event ever held in Ireland.
Speaking at the launch today in Dublin Castle, the Taoiseach and Tánaiste also urged businesses, clubs and organisations right across the country to get involved in The Gathering.
An Taoiseach said: ‘This initiative needs the widespread participation of communities and local organisations all across Ireland. The Gathering gives each and every one of us an opportunity to do something positive for our country in our own unique way’.
“It’s all about you, your family, your neighbours, your sports club, your college. Whatever community or group you belong to, we would like you to start planning special events to highlight what is great about that community, and about Ireland.”
The Tánaiste explained that the global Irish diaspora will also be crucial: ‘The Gathering aims to engage with our global diaspora, to entice them to come home in 2013 and to encourage them to extend an invitation to Ireland to others. It’s not just about encouraging anyone with Irish heritage – it is also addressed to those who love or have an interest in Ireland’.
The Gathering Ireland 2013 is being spearheaded by Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar, who outlined a series of new festivals and events being held especially in order to encourage more visitors to Ireland next year. These include a new music festival, international GAA events and a new project from the organisers of Riverdance.
Minister Varadkar said: ‘We are inviting the world to Ireland next year for this festival of festivals. It promises to be the biggest tourism initiative ever staged in Ireland. I want The Gathering to be an event that belongs to everyone in Ireland, and which everyone in Ireland feels part of. If you want help organising your own Gathering, then log on to the new Gathering website at thegatheringireland.com to take advantage of all the available supporting material’.
“The public response from people at home and abroad has been fantastic with ideas for potential gatherings coming in every day. These range from family Gatherings, school reunions and even a gathering of twins. Towns and communities are also pitching in. The Gathering team are receiving queries and offers of help from individuals and organisations throughout the world.”
Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring announced that Gathering Community Meetings will be held around Ireland in the year ahead. Local Gathering organisations are being set up in every county, comprising sporting bodies, cultural and musical organisations, local authorities, and local development companies.
“This is a people’s project. It is extremely important that this initiative is not confined to big cities but is an event that will happen across the country and show off Ireland at its best. Everyone can help by doing something as simple as sending an e-mail or postcard to a relative or friend abroad inviting them to Ireland in 2013,” Minister Ring said.
Community projects already underway include clan gatherings, genealogical projects, and an outreach initiative where local communities will contact people who have left the country. One Irish family which recently returned from the US is already organising an O’Dea clan gathering for 2013.
Kerry and Waterford County Councils have established dedicated local groups to drive the initiative forward and all local authorities have been briefed on The Gathering. Carrick-on Shannon is holding a special town and community gathering to celebrate its 400th birthday next year.
The Gathering was launched internationally by Government Ministers in 27 cities over St Patricks Weekend, and the project team and corporate partners are now firmly in place. A number of well-known Irish personalities have pledged their support, including Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson, Maeve Binchy and Paul O’Connell.
A large number of companies and organisations have already got involved including Google and Facebook, while KPMG and PwC have confirmed they will hold their international alumni events in Ireland, bringing 1,000 international visitors.
Speaking at the launch today in Dublin Castle, Shaun Quinn, CEO of Fáilte Ireland emphasised: ‘The Gathering has the potential to be a real ‘game-changer’ not just for Irish Tourism but also for Ireland as a whole. The real power of the Gathering lies in its ability to leverage the efforts of any Irish citizen, community group or indeed any diaspora member to roll up their sleeves and take an active part in mobilising behind an initiative to support our national recovery. With a fair wind, many of the seeds planted through events and initiatives at local level all around the nation, will bloom into longer term beneficial networks and opportunities for the country’.
Festivals
A calendar of significant festivals and events will form the spine of The Gathering year, and the aim is to foster a multitude of grass-roots events around these festivals. This calendar is constantly evolving and will see many established festivals being significantly enhanced:
• New Year’s Eve Festival
• St Patrick’s Festival
• Galway Arts Festival and Wexford Opera Festival, Cork Choral Festival, Dublin Horse, Bloom and Temple Bar Tradfest
A number of new festivals and events will also be created exclusively for the Gathering. Discussions are currently taking place around the following:
An International Harvest Gathering – a celebration of Irish food;
love:live music, International Music Day;
A new International GAA event with finals held in Croke Park in August;
A Festival of Football: overseas clubs and players will compete in matches around Ireland;
Bringing Riverdance back home and introducing John McColgan and Moya Doherty’s new show;
A multi-venue Christmas 2013 and New Year’s Festival to end the year with a bang.
Ends
Further information
The Gathering Ireland 2013 aims to be the biggest tourism event ever held in Ireland, bringing in 325,000 extra visitors.
Minister Varadkar has allocated €5 million to Failte Ireland this year to set up the support structure and to market the event.
Tourism Ireland will have specific responsibility for promoting The Gathering in overseas markets.
Fáilte Ireland’s call for 2013 Festival & Events funding applications will issue much earlier this year in order to populate the Gathering Ireland 2013 calendar. A dedicated advertisement is running in national newspapers today announcing the new timeline. Approvals will be made in July and August so that The Gathering calendar can be completed as soon as possible.
Gathering corporate support
A growing list of well-known organisations are now on board. These include the likes of:
• Google,
• Facebook,
• Irish Farmers’ Association,
• GAA,
IRFU,
CCMA – County and City Managers Association representing the 32 local Authorities around Ireland, Irish Local Development Network representing the 52 local development companies,
Scouting Ireland, Chambers Ireland
Irish Country Women’s Association, ICMSA- Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, Irish Farmers’ Association
Ireland Reaching Out, Certificate of Irish Heritage, Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Eireann, Conradh Na Gaeilge,
Irish Sports Council, IRFU, FAI, GAA, Horse Racing Ireland
Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, KPMG, PwC
Irish Hotels Federation, The Doyle Collection, Manor House hotels of Ireland, Irish Tour Operators Association, Restaurants Association of Ireland, Bed and Breakfast Ireland, All Hallows College, Vintners Federation of Ireland and Good Food Ireland.
Gathering the community
Ultimately, The Gathering’s success will hinge on the participation of the public and the mobilisation of local communities to create their own local events and to utilise their own overseas connections. To assist this central strand of the initiative, the new website is online at www.thegatheringireland.com.
The website provides online supports and ideas for those interested in setting up their own event. It also includes some examples of local The Gathering events underway. These include:
The Ireland Reaching Out project (where volunteers in Irish communities find those who left, or their ancestors, and contact them so that the global Irish community can once again become connected) will run a ‘Week of Welcomes’, from Donegal to Kerry – during one such week last year in Galway, visitors attended history lectures, genealogy sessions, took trips to the parishes where they hailed from, attended a hurling match and were even guests at a local wedding;
The O’Dea Clan Gathering is planned by James O’Dea who, along with his wife Anola, returned home in the 1980s from Wisconsin Rapids, USA to County Clare and restored the ancestral home of Dysert O’Dea Castle where they will host a great gathering of O’Deas in 2013;
People are now being urged to pitch their ideas and events via the new website and the number, date and location of these will be plotted on a map online as they come in. The number of events is expected to gather apace following nationwide workshops which will take place in communities around the country throughout the summer.
May 3, 2012
‘Genuine Prospects’
The Irish Sailing Association today (Thursday, 3rd May 2012) announced that Providence Resources P.l.c., the Irish oil and gas exploration and production company, are to sponsor the Irish Olympic Sailing Team. The sponsorship will enable the team to undertake worldclass preparations in advance of London 2012 and beyond.
The Irish Olympic Sailing Team are considered ‘Genuine Prospects’ for a medal in the London 2012 Games. Providence Resources have also identified ‘Genuine Prospects’ offshore Ireland, with the largest multi-basin drilling campaign in the history of the state currently underway.
The Olympic sailing team members include:
Annalise Murphy, Laser (Radial)
Peter O’Leary & David Burrows, (Star)
Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern, (49er)
A further three campaigns will be competing for Olympic qualification during May including Gerbil Owens and Scott Flanigan (470), James Espey (Laser) and Ross Hamilton (Finn)
The partnership was launched today in Dublin by Olympic Sailor Annalise Murphy and Providence Resources Chief Executive, Tony O’Reilly.
Announcing the Sponsorship Olympic Sailor, Annalise Murphy said:
“This is great news for the team. This support has given the whole team a huge boost in our preparations for London 2012. We have a very busy schedule of training and events between now and then. There is huge excitement in the build up to the Games and we are looking forward to focussing on our performance”.
Tony O’Reilly, Chief Executive, Providence Resources P.l.c., said:
“Providence Resources are proud and delighted to sponsor the Irish Olympic Sailing Team ‘Genuine Prospects’ for 2012, including their preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Games. We believe they have “Genuine Prospects” for a medal, which would be great news for Ireland, and we encourage everybody to get behind the Irish Sailing Team”.
Irish Sailing Association Performance Director, James O’Callaghan, said:
“We would like to thank Providence Resources for their support for the team and we look forward to working together to achieve our common goal. . ..This is the first time the Olympic Sailing Team has worked with a title sponsor and we very much appreciate the boost this sponsorship has given our London 2012 preparations”.
Apr 27, 2012
Although the leading and better resourced sports organisation in the (Republic of) Ireland already have detailed polices in place regarding child safety and protection, the proposed requirements detailed this week in the heads of the Children First Bill, which can be accessed here, are likely to prove onerous for smaller sports organisations.
What follows is a summary of the main proposals.
First, the overarching policy objectives of the proposed Children First Bill is the raising of awareness of child abuse, the recognition and reporting of child abuse, and the management of child safety concerns.
The vast majority of organisations providing services to children will come under the proposed legislation, ranging from large statutory agencies to small local services such as a local Hip Hop dance club. Some of these agencies are in receipt of State funding and have a formal relationship with the State; many others operate independently. There is currently no requirement for agencies/organisations providing services to children to notify the State of their services. (All such agencies in ROI should, however, be operating in accordance with the good practice principles set down in Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children
It follows that the majority of organisations whose employees or volunteers have access to children, or work directly with children, and where a child can attend without a parent or guardian will come under the proposed Children First legislation. Again, these are organisations ranging from professional well-established organisations such as educational institutions and national sporting organisations to the more ad hoc community groups that arrange local sporting or leisure activities for children.
The latter include schools, pre-schools, health and social care facilities delivering services to children and An Garda Síochána, to faith based organisations, sports and youth clubs and arts and leisure organisations. Such organisations will include those with a residential element for children and transport services provided specifically for children e.g. the school bus service.
It must be noted that the definition of “volunteer” is not intended to include a person’s involvement in a school run, or collecting children from sports events, or parents supervising their own children’s activities with friends or any such like activities.
To reiterate, the underlying purpose of the legislation is to ensure that children are protected while present at, or availing of the services of, an organisation falling within its scope.
Centrally, under the proposed legislation sports organisation will now have a statutory duty to develop and implement a child protection and reporting protocol in accordance with the guidelines provided by the legislation and relevant government agencies.
For instance, sports organisations will be asked to appoint a “Designated Officer” to ensure that there is a single and clearly identifiable point of authority and responsibility relating to child safeguarding within the organisation; and to ensure the proper implementation of the proposed legislation and including the maintenance of records and responsibility for staff vetting and training in recognising the signs of abuse and/or neglect.
The proposed legislation is to provide that an employee or volunteer of an organisation is to report to the Designated Officer any concerns or allegations of child abuse which come to their attention in the course of their employment, i.e. the obligation to report arises if the concern or allegation comes to the employee’s knowledge while they are engaged in the activities of the organisation
Where an employee fails to report any concern or allegation which should have been reported under the legislation that employee must be treated in accordance with labour legislation and where a volunteer fails to report any concern or allegation, he or she may be prohibited from working as a volunteer in that organisation, at the discretion of the Designated Officer following an enquiry and having regard to fair procedures.
The controlling regulatory body under the Bill will be the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE). Where the HSE is of the opinion that there is occurring or likely to occur an activity which involves or is likely to involve a risk to a child in the organisation, the HSE may give written directions to the Designated Officer, requiring him/her to provide an Improvement Plan e.g., an outline of remedial action to be taken by the club or organisation.
Where the HSE is of the opinion that there is occurring or is likely to occur a failure to implement child protection policies which involve, or is likely to involve, a risk to the safety or welfare of a child the HSE may serve a Prohibition Notice on the Designated Officer of that organisation.
A Prohibition Notice is to inform the organisation that the HSE is of the opinion that there is occurring or is likely to occur a failure to implement child protection policies which involves, or is likely to involve, a risk to the safety or welfare of a child and the reasons for that opinion. The Notice is also to specify the activity in respect of which that opinion is held, where in its opinion the activity involves a contravention, or likely contravention, of any of the relevant statutory provisions, and specify the relevant statutory provision(s).
A Prohibition Notice may prohibit the carrying on of the activity concerned until the matters which give rise, or are likely to give rise to the risk, are remedied. The Prohibition Notice may include directions as to the measures to be taken to remedy any contravention or matter to which the notice relates or to otherwise comply with the Notice e.g., withdrawal of state funding or even, it seems, ultimately, the shutting down of the club.
A Designated Officer, on receipt of a Prohibition Notice may appeal against the Notice to the District Court. In determining the appeal the Judge may confirm, vary or cancel the Notice.
Where an Improvement Notice or a Prohibition Notice is served, the notice is to be brought to the attention of any persons affected by the notice and displayed in a prominent place in the organisation.
This week also saw the release in Dublin of details on the so-called Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012.
This Bill establishes in Irish law an offence of withholding information in relation to specified offences committed against a child or vulnerable person. The offence arises where a person knows or believes that a specified offence has been committed against a child or vulnerable person and he or she has information which would be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of another person for that offence and fails without reasonable excuse to disclose that information as soon as it is practicable to do so to a member of the Garda Síochána.
A “vulnerable person” is defined as a person who is suffering from either a mental, intellectual or physical disability which is of such a nature as to severely restrict the capacity of that person to guard against serious exploitation or abuse or, in the case of physical disability, to report such to the Garda Síochána.
The maximum penalty under the proposed legislation is five years’ imprisonment. It must be noted that the Bill provides for various defences e.g., if a child or vulnerable person against whom the offence was committed makes it known that they do not want the offence to be reported to the Garda Síochána, though the person accused of an offence under this Bill must show that they knew and relied on that view. In addition, the Bill acknowledges that certain victims may not have the capacity to make their views as to disclosure or otherwise known.
Therefore, a rebuttable presumption that a child under 14 does not have capacity to form a view as to whether the offence or information relating to it should be disclosed to the Garda Síochána is included. Similarly, a rebuttable presumption as to the lack of capacity of a vulnerable person is included.
Finally, the obligations that might be imposed by the above are no doubt onerous on sports organisation, especially those of a smaller scale; nevertheless, The frequency, source, denials and trauma associated with child abuse in Ireland in recent times has been a national shame. This proposed legislation is a small start in ensuring that it never happens again. Sport is not immune and the debate on both Bills in the Oireachtas should be monitored closely by all of Irish sport.
http://blogs.qub.ac.uk/sportslaw/2012/04/27/children-first-child-protection-law-and-sport-in-ireland/
Dr. Jack Anderson lectures in law at Queen’s University Belfast. He had published widely on the topice of sports law, most recently, a book entitled The Legality of Boxing (Routledge, 2007). He is a qualified arbitrator, being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and is a member of both the UK Sports Dispute Resolution Panel and the GAA’s Dispute Resolution Authority. Originally from Limerick, his interest in sport is principally, but not exclusively, in hurling and rugby. You can read Dr Anderson’s blog here: http://blogs.qub.ac.uk/sportslaw/
