Aug 22, 2013
Competitors, families, friends and diplomats descend on Kinsale in advance of the Cork County Council
IFDS World Championships 25-30 August 2013
Over 500 people have arrived in Kinsale for the start of the Cork County Council IFDS World Sailing Championships on Sunday 25th August and this number will be boosted by the arrival of more supporters over the coming days.
This event is one of the Irish Sports Council – The Gathering funded events and in the spirit of the national tourism initiative all competitors were invited to bring family and friends to Ireland for the event. This drive was led by John Twomey, 10-time Irish Paralympian and current President of the International Federation of Disabled Sailing.
“Over the years fellow sailors have listened to me talking about Ireland and the beauty of Kinsale and the west cork region so when Kinsale won the bid to host this event, friends from all over the world committed to travelling” Stated John Twomey, Paralympic sailor for Providence Team IRL.
In addition to the participants and families, Kinsale has been visited by a number of Diplomatic delegations from Russia and the Czech Republic with further visits planned from other Ambassadors including the Australian and Dutch delegations over the coming week. Carlo Croce, President of ISAF (International Sailing Association Federation) will visit Kinsale for the final days racing, as will a number of international TV crews who are filming documentaries on the event.
The event will be officially opened on Sunday 25th August at 6pm in the James O’Neill Memorial building in the centre of Kinsale by Mayor of Kinsale Cllr Tony Cierans and Cork MEP Brian Crowley. A parade to Kinsale Yacht Club to present nation’s flags will follow the official opening.
There will be a practice race on Sunday 25th August at noon and racing will commence on Monday 26th August with two races scheduled daily starting at 12 noon until Friday 30th August.
The organising committee, led by Regatta Director John Stallard, have been working solidly for over two years to host this major event. Kinsale Yacht Club was redeveloped in the last year without grants and public funding and €800,000 was invested through fundraising by the members and a bank loan that was secured.
Kinsale Marina has been closed to visiting boats for the duration of the event and berth holders were asked to relocate their boats for up to three weeks as approximately one third of the marina was required to host the competing boats and support boats.
“We are very grateful to the Kinsale Yacht Club members who have assisted the organising committee but this is also much bigger than just a sailing event. Cork County Council and every business owner in the town has worked with us so we can showcase Kinsale and so that all our visitors can enjoy our wonderful tourism product” stated John Stallard, Event Director.
Over 100 people have volunteered for the week for various roles from meet & greet, stewards, race office, administration and on the water support.
Earlier this week the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), together with the International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS), announced the four ‘Ones to Watch’ athletes for the World Championships and upcoming Paralympic cycle. The IPC’s ‘Ones to Watch’ initiative showcases the top athletes around the world on the road to the next Paralympic Games, and all four of the identified sailors have won medals on the Paralympic stage with their stories have increasingly become known throughout the media. All four athletes will be competing in Kinsale next week.
Headlining the list is Great Britain’s Helena Lucas, the gold medallist in the 2.4mR single-person keelboat at London 2012. She was the only female athlete competing in her event at the last Paralympics and has become a household name in Great Britain for her performance on the Weymouth waters. Germany’s Heiko Kroeger joins Lucas on the list as another athlete in the single-person keelboat event. Kroeger finished second behind Lucas at London 2012, but the Sydney 2000 Paralympic champion is a veteran in the sport, and with Audi sponsoring him is aiming to reach the top of the podium in Rio for the first time in 16 years.
The final two selections – Norway’s Aleksander Wang-Hansen and the Netherlands’ Udo Hessels – compete in the sonar three-person keelboat event. Hessels, who won the event in London with teammates Marcel van de Veen and Mischa Rossen, has been sailing competitively since he was 25, when he took up the sport as part of his rehabilitation after suffering a spinal-cord injury due to a tumour in his back. Wang-Hansen finished with the bronze medal at London 2012 and comes from a sporting family. He is the older brother of Sebastian Wang-Hansen, who competed at the London 2012 Olympics in windsurfing, and he is the cousin a Mats Wang-Hansen, who was a world champion in sailing back in 2000.
For more information see www.ifdsworlds2013.com.
Race Schedule
Please see www.ifdsworlds2013.com for the dates and times of each race.
Opening Ceremony: Sunday 25th of August at 6.00pm
Prizegiving Ceremony: Friday 30th of August at 6.00pm
Media Accreditation
Please contact Rachel Solon at rachel@sailing.ie for the media accreditation form. Please note that accreditation is necessary to access rights free photography / videography from the event and to receive updates.
Media Boat
A media boat will be available on a daily for photography / videography. Advance booking is necessary. For more information contact Rachel Solon at rachel@sailing.ie or +353 (0)87 6245326.
Kinsale Yacht Club
Media facilities with WiFi will be available at Kinsale Yacht Club.
Daily Releases
Every evening the ISA will issue a press release as soon as results have been confirmed.
Photographs
Michael Sweeney from Provision Photography and Bob Bateman will be the event photographers. Rights free images will be available on a daily basis for media / editorial. Once accreditation has been approved download information will be issued via email.
Please contact Rachel Solon at rachel@sailing.ie or +353 (0)87 6245326 for specific requests.
TV
Racing highlight packages will be available. Details to follow in due course.
Interviews
Interviews can be arranged upon request. Please contact Rachel Solon at rachel@sailing.ie or +353 (0)87 6245326 for specific requests.
Real Time Tweeting
The IFDS World Championships and the ISA will be tweeting in real time throughout every race. Please see below for useful links.
Event Twitter: www.twitter.com/IFDSWorlds2013 #IFDSWorlds2013
ISA Twitter: www.twitter.com/ISA_Performance #IFDSWorlds2013
Social Media
IFDS Worlds Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFDSWorlds2013
ISA Facebook: www.facebook.com/ISAPerformance
For more information please contact:
Rachel Solon
ISA Communications Officer
+353 (0)87 6245326
rachel@sailing.ie
Fiona Bolger
+353 (0)86 8211030
fiona@fionabolger.com
Aug 1, 2013
Irish International Ladies Rugby player notorious No.8 Joy Neville announces her retirement after a decade of dedication to the sport. Limerick native Joy won 70 caps for Ireland and was part of the Irish team that achieved the 2013 historical Grand Slam Title.
Looking back on a career which began with her club UL Bohs at the tender age of 19 Joy said. “Today I announce my retirement from a sport that has given me endless challenges, great entertainment and amazing achievements none more memorable than our latest grand slam victory which was 11 years in the making. Throughout my years involved with the Irish team I can categorically state that I would not have had dedicated the last decade of my life to this sport if it were not for those whom I had the pleasure to play alongside.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone and most importantly past players who laid the foundation. All who fought for the Women’s team through thick and thin which provided us with our strong platform that we currently attain. I would also like to thank the current players who I have shared so many emotions with, all the management, medical staff, my wonderful family who were always there to support me both on and off the pitch, my friends who always understood when I could not celebrate their big moments, our wonderful supporters who always stuck in there with the Irish team through good times and hard. “
Ireland’s Ladies Rugby team coach Philip Doyle today acknowledged Joy’s outstanding contribution to the sport. “Joy Neville is an exceptional rugby player and her talent and ability had a huge impact on every game. Her selfless playing style was always for the good of the team. She has left a lasting impression not only to the squad but to Women’s rugby in general. She will be sorely missed and we wish her all the best in her career as coach and an incredible ambassador for the sport.”
Joy states “While it will take some time to adjust to my new role in the squad as a supporter I would like to wish you all the very best of luck in the coming years. So many International sides have commented on the great camaraderie, moral and craic that the Irish women’s team portrays. I am proud to have been associated with a team that has achieved so much and attained such a wonderful reputation. Now I look forward to the next chapter of my life which I hope to continue as Director of Rugby in Limerick Institute of Technology and an Ambassador for Irish Ladies Rugby with Euro Rugby tours.
I hope to look back in 10 years’ time and see a vibrant and healthy women’s Rugby Scene, with the ultimate aim of witnessing Irish Women’s Rugby becoming professional.”
Joy will play with her club team UL Bohs next Thursday in UL Bohs RFC Annacotty against Canadian side Red deer Titans in a friendly pre-season game organised by euro rugby tours @ 6.30pm for more information contact Donal on 061- 624958
Jul 31, 2013
Recent exchanges in the Dáil shed some light on the potential impact on funding for good causes to include sport from the sale of the National Lottery.
In response to questions from Mary Lou McDonald TD, Minister Howlin confirmed that under the next national lottery licence annual contributions for good causes will be set at 65% of gross gaming revenues. He clarified that gross gaming revenues would be the amount remaining when prizes and costs were deduced from the value of total sales.
Applying this formula to the €225 million generated for good causes in 2012 would have reduced the total amount available by €11 million to €214 million. Despite this, Minister Howlin stated that the terms of the licence would be well placed to reverse the recent trend which, had been declining in recent years. The increase, he said, would be facilitated both by the terms of the next licence and the National Lottery Act, 2013 which will offer the licence holder greater flexibility for growth to include, the development of new games and distribution channels.
Minister Howlin said in addition to the projected growth of the amount available for distribution to good causes, the State would receive an upfront payment part of which, would be used to fund the new National Children’s Hospital with some moneys being used to help fund Exchequer capital projects in 2013 and 2014.
He also addressed concerns that a bigger upfront payment would not be used by a bidder as an incentive for a system that might negatively impact on the constant annual flow of money for good causes. In this regard, Minister Howlin confirmed that he picked the figure of 65% for good causes despite some suggestions from the Government’s advisors that they go for a lower-figure which, would ensure a bigger upfront payment. The Minister stated that he was willing to take a smaller upfront payment if it meant there would be a good growing annual fund for the good causes that are so important into the future.
Jul 31, 2013
IS SPECIFICALLY designed for National Governing Bodies (NGBs), sports clubs and individuals and was officially launched in December 2012 after an extensive tender process. The scheme has grown rapidly since then and already has over 30% of NGBs supporting the scheme which represents a great success.
All members of the Federation scheme have benefited from premium savings with an average of between 20-25% being achieved. The reason the savings can be achieved is because of the power of group purchasing and the continued success of the scheme is dependent on the continued support of the Federation’s members. After joining the scheme an NGB is no longer alone in the insurance market, they now have the backing of the entire scheme along with all the other scheme members. This greater purchasing power ensures competitive pricing, consistency of pricing security on claims as well as quality customer service.
Being part of the Federation of Irish Sport Insurance Scheme offers NGBs much more than security and premium savings alone. BHP INSURANCE, the broker for the scheme, offers each individual member tailor-made packages and ensures that the right covers are in place. Each member has a dedicated Account Handler who deals with all aspects of insurance from claims and mid-term adjustments, to presenting insurance workshops and attending relevant seminars.
The Insurance Scheme is not limited to NGBs as anew Club Scheme is currently being developed for sports clubs who will be able to avail of the benefits already received by their NGBs.
Read what our members have to say about the Federation of Irish Sport Insurance Scheme:
‘The Bowling league of Ireland were very impressed in the professional way that BHP Insurances approached our insurance needs. They managed to reduce our Insurance costs, and increase the amount of cover that we previously had. Our members were delighted with this reduction and our clubs around the country are in active talks with BHP Insurances for their own cover.’
-Brian C. Morton, Chairman of the Development & Strategic Planning Committee, and Treasurer, Bowling League of Ireland
‘We have been delighted with the service provided by BHP to date – we have generated impressive cost savings at NGB level and will shortly be rolling out an excellent club insurance offering to our member clubs; we have obtained excellent rates from BHP and have been impressed with the level of service provided.’
-Darren Coombes, Chief Operations Officer, Irish Table Tennis Association
‘Thanks to BHP Insurances appointment we have been able to institute cover for all of our members for the first time since our formation. The support of their team has meant that we were able to carry out a comprehensive audit of our insurance requirements and institute the type of indemnity we needed at a premium we could afford.’
-Cian Quigley, President, Australian Rules Football League of Ireland
“We in Irish Squash were very impressed with the service offered by BHP Insurance. That we achieved full cover at a significant discount is obviously a great benefit. Their professionalism and service was a great aid to us as a small NGB. Working together as NGB’s is also a great initiative and shows what can be achieved when NGB’s work together.”
-Paul Nugent, COO, Irish Squash
“We supported the Federation group scheme as we saw the benefit of being part of a bigger group of NGBs coming together to get a better deal on insurance.”
-Paul Ryder, Administrator, Deaf Sports Ireland
‘BHP Insurances took the time to understand Gymnastics Ireland and our activities before providing a proposal. Their expertise in providing solutions to the sport and not for profit sector has resulted in savings with no reduction in cover. I would have no hesitation in recommending BHP to other sporting bodies.’
-Ciaran Gallagher, CEO, Gymnastics Ireland
‘Swim Ireland are delighted by the appointment of BHP Insurances who have improved our levels of cover for a reduced annual premium. Their team gave us a thorough understanding of our insurance policies and we would recommend that other NGBs meet with them to see what they can deliver for their sport, clubs and members.’
-Sarah Keane, CEO, Swim Ireland
‘BHP Insurances have delivered significant savings for the ISA and have developed a club insurance scheme which we feel will have huge benefits for the ISA, its clubs and their members.’
-Harry Hermon, CEO, Irish Sailing Association
‘CPSI were impressed by BHP Insurances professional approach to our insurance needs and even as a smaller NGB they gave us as much time as we needed to ensure we had the right covers in place. BHP helped us introduce comprehensive personal accident insurance for all our members at a competitive rate.’
-Brenda O’Donnell, Director of Sport, Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland
‘Switching to the Federation of Irish Sport Insurance scheme was better from a value for money perspective and delivered an improved level of insurance cover for our organisation.”
-Cillian Smith, Commissioner, Irish American Football Association
“Choosing insurance cover can be a nightmare. ACI sought advice from 4 independent brokers before choosing the FIS recommended BHP’s policy suite. It met all our requirements and offered unmatched value. Added to that, there is the comfort of the extra security for our members offered by being part of a larger group along with other sports.”
-Der Casey, Honorary Secretary, Angling Council of Ireland
Sports Bodies that have supported the Federation of Irish Sport Insurance Scheme so far are:
Angling Council of Ireland
Australian Rules Football League of Ireland
Bowling League of Ireland
Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland
Deaf Sports Ireland
Gymnastics Ireland
Horseshoe Pitchers Association of Ireland
Ice Skating Association of Ireland
Irish American Football Association
Irish Blind Sports
Irish Sailing Association
Irish Squash
Irish Surfing Association
Irish Table Tennis Association
Just Sport Ireland
Pentathlon Ireland
Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland
Raquetball Association of Ireland
Swim Ireland
The Federation of Irish Sport
Weightlifting Ireland
Jul 31, 2013
It has been quite the summer of sport for our near neighbours in Britain finally, breaking the Wimbledon hoodoo, another victory in Le Tour not to mention a 2-0 lead in the Ashes over the once invincible Aussies.
Not a bad summer of sport for our athletes either, Graeme McDowell & Michael Hoey winning tournaments, Dan Martin in the Tour, Irish representatives in the Lions, the cricketers securing World Cup qualification, 4 swimmers ranked in the top 20 in the World for the first time, 5 world Paralympic athletic medals and that is before the great performances to date in the football and hurling Championships are digested.
Interesting so that this week Sir Chris Hoy, when launching the ticketing programme for next year’s Commonwealth Games, felt it was important to highlight the need for investment in sport to continue. Emphasising the need to support future athletes, Hoy said that whilst money does not buy medals it does provide a platform for them.
Hoy warns against the complacency that success can bring stating that it is often the tournaments or events where things go badly that traditionally have provoked change or increased investment in sporting structures. The Irish Government too could do well to take note of Hoy’s thoughts particularly, as they look to make decisions in the next few weeks as part of the budgetary process on the level of investment in Irish Sport for 2014.
On one hand, Irish Sport has never had it so good. Increased consistency in performance on the international stage across a number of different sports coupled with improved numbers in those participating in sport. The Irish Sports Council’s 2011 monitor found that rates of participation amongst the Irish population had increased from 34% to 46%.
On the other hand there is much yet to be done, with EU research finding recently that Irish primary schools rank as the worst in Europe when it comes to the provision of PE. Irish secondary schools were only slightly better in fourth from bottom. Obesity too represents a growing challenge with 61% of Irish adults and over 300,000 children being either overweight or obese. Not to mention the on-going issue of getting the 13% of the population that are sedentary active.
Neither participation nor performance should be taken for granted. We are surrounded by sport. It would be easy to assume that it will always be there. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that almost all of Irish Sport is delivered by a volunteer workforce which is operating in an increasingly regulated environment. Standards have been raised and whilst, this is a positive development, it also highlights the reality that sport needs to be developed, managed, delivered and above all financed. Those working at grassroots need to be supported.
This year’s budget is crucial. The available government funding for sports bodies is already down 25% since 2008. Commercial revenue and in particular, sponsorship is difficult to obtain. Clubs and participants in sport are under financial pressure. Despite all of this sport has been one of the few things to sustain us over the last few years.
As well as contributing to improved public health, sustaining our communities or enhancing our reputation abroad, sport has that intangible ability to give us a bit of a lift. Sport has provided a different focus in the midst of our economic woes….….a forum in which just sometimes the impossible becomes possible. When it happens it is always worth the wait, just ask the Monaghan Gaelic football supporters!
€43.2 million was the amount made available to assist in the on-going development of Irish Sport in 2013 – that figure represents 0.0032% of the €13.6 billion spent on health, 0.0021% of the €20.246 billion spent on Social Protection and 0.0050% of the €8.5 billion spent on education, all Departments on which sport has a significant impact and in many cases has the potential to do even more.
There are many deserving causes in Ireland in 2013 but is €43 million really too difficult to find to assist in the safeguarding of sport? In addition to the reality that sport generates a return of €149 for every €100 invested, sport remains a force for good in our society which reaches into virtually every community in Ireland through its network of 12,000 clubs across 70 plus sports. There are few activities that reach such a significant proportion of Ireland’s population.
2.1 million Irish people actively participate in sport, enabled by a volunteer workforce of over 500,000 and supported and enjoyed by many more both home and abroad. Protecting this funding is not simply an investment in the present but also a foundation stone for the creation of a better Ireland in the future.
For those who would like to know more about just what sport delivers to Ireland, please click on the ‘Why Irish Sport Matters’ infographic
Read Chris Hoy article here
Jul 29, 2013
Following the launch of Arthur Guinness Projects®, a major new cultural initiative, designed to champion and celebrate talent and creativity in Ireland, hundreds of extraordinary people with inspiring and brilliant ideas from all across the country have uploaded projects onto www.arthurguinnessprojects.com and thousands more have shown support by voting for the favourite their projects. To check out the trending Sports projects click here www.arthurguinnessprojects.com/sport/trending
Projects can be submitted up until and on midnight 9th August 2013.
Although the closing date is the 9th August, the public can continue to vote for the projects that they would most like to see come to life during the application period and up until the 23rd August, 2013.
The Arthur Guinness Projects panel will then choose the top 10% of from the public vote in each of the 4 categories.
The sports panel is spearheaded by Donegal inter-county manager and sports consultant, Jim McGuinness alongside Sarah O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, Rob Harnett the CEO of Sport for Business & Matt Cooper broadcaster, journalist and author.
Together with a mentoring and promotional support programme, Arthur Guinness Projects will invest €3 million in people and their projects across Ireland over the next three years, with up to 20 projects benefitting annually.
To upload projects, vote for your favourite or to get inspiration from the current selection visit www.arthurguinnessprojects.com
