Nov 8, 2013
Earlier this year Airtricity announced they would be sponsoring the Dublin Marathon and the Race Series leading up to the event. The Federation spoke to Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director, Airtricity, who kindly told us more…
Airtricity has a long tradition of supporting Irish Sport what do you see as the benefits for a brand such as Airtricity in supporting Irish sporting bodies or events?
Airtricity is a company rooted in Ireland with our head office based in Dublin, It’s essential to the company that we give back to local communities and we feel that supporting a sporting event is one ideal way to do this. We’re delighted that we were able to come in half way through the year and make it as successful as it was.
The Dublin Marathon has grown in stature over the past number of years, with 14,500 participants this year, were there any particular aspects of their success that were attractive to Airtricity in developing this new partnership?
The Dublin marathon is a showcase event for Dublin and Ireland showing the culture at its best and we were delighted to help the Dublin Marathon achieve its goal. We also had the extra benefit of getting our staff to participate in the Marathon. We had 25 staff who took part, which promoted health and well-being within the company, whilst also raising €10,000 for our chosen charity Straight Ahead.
Has Airtricity’s approach to commercial partnerships changed in recent years?
Airtricity is naturally drawn to commercial partnerships that mirrors our core values which are green and sustainable energy for Ireland, giving back to local communities and providing superior customer experience or additional benefits to our customers and that hasn’t changed in recent years.
What advice would you give to any sports organisation looking to secure sponsorship in the current environment?
Look to a commercial enterprise where you can see that both sides can have a mutual benefit from the partnership. With us we were delighted to step into the Dublin Marathon and help them achieve their goal, for us it was that our core values had the benefits for communities and our own staff.
Many thanks for taking the time to talk to us, finally what was your personal highlight of the sporting year 2013 and anything you are particularly looking forward to in 2014?
My own personal highlight was completing the Airtricity Dublin Marathon. It was an incredibly proud moment and I have the greatest respect for anyone who takes on the challenge of running or getting fit whilst also raising money for a worthwhile cause.
The second highlight was celebrating with the other staff members in Airtricity, we had a get-together with their friends and family after the event which we all enjoyed.
In 2014 I am really looking forward to sponsoring five up-and-coming athletes and help them achieve their goals not just in 2014 but for the next five years.
Read More here- http://dublinmarathon.ie/news/2013/6/24/airtricity-announced-as-new-title-sponsor-for-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2013
Nov 6, 2013
Robert Mooney has been appointed as General Manager of Pentathlon Ireland, the National Governing Body for Modern Pentathlon across the 32 counties of Ireland. Robert previously worked with Swim Ireland as High Performance Coordinator and has a background in Sport Science.
Pentathlon Ireland is currently experiencing fantastic growth, building on the achievements of Natalya Coyle and Arthur Lanigan O’Keeffe at London 2012, with the recent opening of the Training Center at the National Sports Campus, as well as securing a sponsorship deal with AWAS, the aircraft leasing firm. Robert will work alongside Performance Director Lindsey Weedon to implement the Pentathlon Ireland Strategic Plan.
Nov 4, 2013
Mountaineering Ireland
Mountaineering Ireland is the representative body for walkers and climbers in Ireland. It is recognised as the National Governing Body for mountaineering, hillwalking, rambling and climbing by both the Irish Sports Council and Sport Northern Ireland. Founded in 1971, Mountaineering Ireland exists to represent and support the walkers and climbers of Ireland and to be a voice for the sustainable use of Ireland’s mountains and all the places (coastline, crags, forests) we use.
Mountaineering Ireland has a number of sub-committees, including an Access and Conservation Committee that supports Mountaineering Ireland’s environmental initiatives and a Mountain Training Board that supports the delivery of personal skills and leadership awards such as
Mountain Skills, Lowland Leader Award, Mountain Leader Award, Climbing Wall Award, Multi Pitch Award and others. These schemes and awards are used by both club members and as vocational awards for those working in the adventure activities and outdoor education sector.
There are ten members of staff at present based at offices in Irish Sport HQ, Dublin 15 and Tollymore National Outdoor Centre, Co. Down.
Membership: 11,509
Number of Clubs: 168
2013 Highlights:
Competition climbing is growing hugely across the globe and over the past 5 years it’s growth in Ireland has been significant. This has seen the development of new national climbing centres (Gravity and Awesome Walls) and more regional climbing centres (Cork, Belfast and Derry) opening shortly. Other local walls (Kilfinane, Upperchurch, Artane, etc.) have also developed recently. This greater access to better facilities has raised the profile of young Irish climbers and one of those, Dominic Burns, is the 2013 European Youth Cup Bouldering Champion and he is ranked number 1 in the World.Mountaineering Ireland developed a new strategic plan through significant engagement with our members. The plan (SDP 2014-2017) will see Mountaineering Ireland work to deliver on 7 key objectives:- supporting participation in our sport, improving personal skills and standards and encouraging adventure opportunities for everyone.
Get Ireland Walking is an Irish Sports Council initiative led by Mountaineering Ireland. Get Ireland Walking exists to support people to get walking in their communities for health, wellbeing and fitness. A focus of year one has been to bring all interested stakeholders together, build the base of walking groups throughout Ireland and support groups and stakeholders with appropriate services and resources. See www.getirelandwalking.ie
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Fact File
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52% of members are female
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Ireland boasts a world number 1 ranked climber
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Key Programmes that Mountaineering Ireland run:
Access and Environment
Most walking and climbing activities in Ireland take place in the natural environment, therefore access to the outdoors is absolutely fundamental to the sport of mountaineering. An appreciation and understanding of the environment can greatly enhance our enjoyment of our activities in the outdoors. Mountaineering Ireland’s work on access and conservation is focused on two core objectives:
- To secure continued access to mountain areas and crags
- To promote the conservation and responsible use of the mountain environment.
In 2013, this has involved developing, with other stakeholders, initiatives such as Helping the Hills, Club Environmental Officers’ Programme, the National Uplands Working Group, contributing to the Irish Uplands Forum, Comhairle na Tuaithe, and other regional upland forums.
Mountain Training
Mountain Training on the island of Ireland is supported by two mountain training boards; Bord Oiliúint Sléibhe, which is the training sub-committee of Mountaineering Ireland and Mountain Training Northern Ireland. Currently, a process is ongoing to integrate both training boards in Mountaineering Ireland. Mountain Training can be summed up as the provision of personal skills and leadership training schemes and awards. These schemes and awards support both participation in our sport and also those that work in the outdoor industry.
Youth and Talent Development
Mountaineering Ireland’s youth programme includes both support through Mountaineering Ireland’s affiliated clubs and also through other youth organisations, including Scouting Ireland. The Youth Climbing Series is a series of fun climbing competitions specifically for young people with the emphasis on enjoyment. It attracts hundreds of entrants across Ireland. The Aspirant Mountaineers programme focuses on students and young people between the ages of 18 – 23 and provides development opportunities in Ireland’s mountains before taking part in a winter skills programme in Scotland.
Mountaineering Ireland’s Talent Development programme provides a pathway for talented young climbers to progress into national development squads and the national climbing team.
Girls Outside and Women with Altitude
The Irish Sports Council’s Women in Sport programme has allowed Mountaineering Ireland develop the Girls Outside and Women in Sport programmes targeting long term female participation in our sport. Mountaineering Ireland’s membership is now 52% female with greater participation of women in all aspects:- leadership, competitions, etc..
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What are the key events to look forward to in 2014?
Calendar of Events
Club challenge and hillwalking events take place throughout the year and dates of those events are available closer to the event date.
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How can people get involved in ?
To find a club close to you or to join as an individual member of Mountaineering Ireland, go to www.mountaineering.ie
Our website has lots of infiormation on accessing hillwalking and climbing, equipment and skills and the options of training schemes and awards that are available.
Also, please visit some of other sites;
www.womenwithaltitude.ie
www.helpingthehills.ie
www.getirelandwalking.ie
www.girlsoutside.ie
Social Media Channel Links:
Nov 4, 2013
BACKGROUND
Established in November 2006 Monaghan Sports Partnership’s main aim is to increase participation in sport and physical activity among all sectors of the community.
It has three main functions:
WHAT WE DO
Information We provide information and support to sports clubs and volunteers in many different ways – we provide links to National Governing Bodies of sport and relevant agencies
Education We provide quality opportunities for education & training courses for volunteers locally
Implementation We developed a strategic plan for sport / physical activity in Co. Monaghan and deliver participation programmes to suit local needs.
Read More Here
Monaghan Sports Partnership
Strategic Plan
Programmes
Oct 17, 2013
Triathlon Talent Identification and Paratriathlon Information Day in AIT, Athlone on the 24th of November being run by Triathlon Ireland.
The Talent ID Day is suitable for talented young athletes who have experience of competitive swimming and running while the Paratriathlon Information Day is an introduction to paratriathlon as it was recently announced that it will form part of the Paralympic Games in Rio 2016.
About the programme:
The Triathlon Ireland Talent Identification programme has the goal of locating talented junior athletes between the ages of 14 and 23 and developing them to their full potential in the sport of triathlon. This programme is about high performance sport and developing highly talented athletes who have the potential to compete for their country..
We are looking for athletes with the following profile:
- A strong swimming background and some running experience (school cross country, community games participation, athletics club);
- Keen to represent Ireland in one of the fastest growing and most exciting Olympic sports;
- A willingness to work up to a standard to compete with the rest of the world.
Standards required
The times/points that we look at for entry to the Junior Development Program are given in the High Performance Table.
Details found here
Athletes will be selected to attend the TID day if they have a record of the required swim and run times as outlined in the table above and by their survey submission only.
Are you interested?
If you are interested in attending on the 24th of November 2013, please fill in the survey below by Friday 8th November.
—> Complete survey here <—
Not available on the 24th of November? but still interested in attending another regional talent ID Day? Please register your interest with caradh@triathlonireland.com
Further information available here
Paratriathlon Information
Triathlon Ireland will host an information day on paratriathlon on the 24th of November in AIT, Athlone. We will be joined by experts from Paralympics Ireland along with qualified coaches in order to provide information about all things paratriathlon and answer any questions you may have. With paratriathlon now part of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Triathlon Ireland recognises the medal opportunities here and we are actively seeking athletes interested in competing on the world stage. While there are opportunities to represent your country at the Paralympic Games this information day is aimed at para athletes of every level.
To register your interest in attending please contact: Caradh@triathlonireland.com
ITU Categories
There are currently six categories for para athletes to compete in:
TRI 1 – Wheelchair user: Includes Paraplegic, Quadriplegic, Polio, Double Leg Amputee. Athletes must use a recumbent hand cycle on bike course and racing wheel chair on run.
TRI 2 – Severe leg impairment including above knee amputees. Athletes must ride bicycles and run with above knee prosthesis (or similar prosthesis) or run using crutches.
TRI 3 – Les Autres: This category includes athletes with Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, double leg amputee runners or paralysis in multiple limbs. These athletes will ride a bicycle and run. They may use braces or prosthesis if required.
TRI 4 – Arm impairment including paralysis, above elbow amputees and below elbow amputees, or impairment in both upper limbs. Athletes may use prosthesis, brace or sling on the bike and/or run.
TRI 5 – Moderate leg impairment including below knee amputees. Athletes ride bicycles and run with prosthesis.
TRI 6 – Visual Impairment, legally Blind (20/200 vision with best corrective vision). A handler of the same sex is mandatory throughout the race. Athletes are tethered during the swim. Athletes use a tandem bicycle and must be tethered during the run. Athletes shall use approved “black out glasses” during the entire run portion.
Oct 15, 2013
Issued by the Federation of Irish Sport the representative body for Ireland’s Governing Bodies Sport and Local Sports Partnerships.
We are extremely disappointed with today’s announcement which sees a further 8% reduction in current funding for Irish Sport with funding to the Irish Sports Council believed to be in the region of €40 million for next year – a reduction of approximately €3 million on 2013. This is the funding that enables over 100 Irish Sports organisations to run sports development programmes essential to delivering sporting opportunities to all, provide much needed support to grassroots clubs and volunteers as well as providing assistance to our international athletes.
This is the sixth year in a row for cuts – investment in sport already having fallen by some 25% – and now sees Irish Sport back to 2006 levels of support. This is particularly damaging given that consistent government investment in sport only commenced in a meaningful way in 1999 and broke the €30 million barrier for the first time in 2004.
Funding for sport through the Irish Sports Council now amounts to a spend of just €8.73 per citizen. This latest reduction is particularly disappointing given the fact that investment in sport today is likely to have a significant impact in reducing the health spend in future years – a budget line that has caused continuous difficulty for the Government not just in the run up to this budget but over the last number of years.
The overall investment in sport at €40 million for 2014 represents just 0.3% of the €13.3 billion projected health spend.
We are also disappointed that our pre-budget submission in which we set out a proposal where an investment of just €1 per citizen could create 150 jobs immediately seems to have received little or no consideration. These were jobs which Irish Sport felt would be become self-sustaining over a two to three year period and for which, 2,000 graduates with sport specific training are qualifying every year.
That the potential of this proposal has not been grasped is all the more disappointing given the Government’s insistence that job creation is the way out of our current economic troubles.
Cuts to sports funding are at odds with wider government policies and counter intuitive as sporting events have proven to be key drivers in boosting tourism figures during the Gathering. As we slowly emerge from recession it is short sighted and unnecessary to target one of the performing sectors in the economy which has the potential to further create sustainable, indigenous employment and economic growth. The cuts come at a time of increasing market volatility affecting the funding models of many of our leading sporting organisations further jeopardising the future of sports development in Ireland.
We urgently request a meeting with the Minister and his officials to address our concerns and propose alternative innovative ways forward.
Sarah O’ Connor, CEO, Federation of Irish Sport 086-8048446 sarah.oconnor@irishsport.ie
Airtricity has a long tradition of supporting Irish Sport what do you see as the benefits for a brand such as Airtricity in supporting Irish sporting bodies or events?
The Dublin Marathon has grown in stature over the past number of years, with 14,500 participants this year, were there any particular aspects of their success that were attractive to Airtricity in developing this new partnership?
What advice would you give to any sports organisation looking to secure sponsorship in the current environment?
