May 31, 2013
The Federation of Irish Sport and Leman Solicitors collaborate once again as part of the Breakfast Seminar series for CEO’s and Leaders in Sport on Thursday 13th June, 8am.
Subject: Data in Sport
Date: 8am to 9am on Thursday 13th June 2013 (7.45am start, with light breakfast)
Location: Leman Solicitors, 8 – 34 Percy Place
Format and discussion:
- How much do you know about your organisation’s obligations on Data Access Requests?
- Get the first hand experiences of another CEO dealing with Data
- Get the law explained simply on your obligations
- Q&A with the panel
- Light breakfast will be served
- Network and meet other CEO’s
Contributors include: Sarah Keane, CEO, Swim Ireland, Kate Hills, National Children’s Officer, Swim Ireland and Lisa Jackson, Leman Solicitors with a panel discussion and Q&A after.
Please confirm your attendance to conn.mccluskey@irishsport.ie
May 31, 2013
Following on from the successful launch of the Federation of Irish Sport group insurance scheme in December we are happy to report that six new members; Irish American Football Association, Angling Council of Ireland, Australian Rules Football League of Ireland, Deaf Sports Ireland, Horseshoe Pitchers Association of Ireland and Pentathlon Ireland have supported the scheme over the past two months, bringing to 18 the number of NGBs that have supported the scheme so far.
The Federation went to tender last year to put a group insurance scheme in place to ensure that our members would get a reduction and a consistency in premium over time. The customer service element to be provided to our members both in terms of advice on cover and claims handling was also key. We issued a tender to seven brokers all of whom were involved with member organisations, in order to appoint the team that we felt would best meet our dual objective of value for money and quality of service. BHP Insurances were selected to operate the scheme on behalf of the Federation after the extensive tender process given their track record in establishing group schemes and experience in sport.
The scheme so far has delivered savings of on average 20 – 30% to our members. However, in order to ensure the scheme survives and that this reduced pricing is maintained it is really important that the group scheme is supported by the Federation’s members. We run the risk of increased insurance costs for all sports should the scheme not be adequately supported and would ask that all members support the scheme as we believe it is the best option for our members individually and Irish Sport collectively.
Some testimonials from sports who have already joined the scheme are provided below to give an indication of the experience of member bodies who have signed up so far:
- Swim 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
- Gymnastics 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
- Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland- ‘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
- Irish Sailing Association- ‘The ISA saved a significant amount on our premium, with no reduction in cover levels, and gained a better understanding of what our insurance actually covered. We also saw the potential for delivering an offering to our members which would increase affinity to the ISA and value to our membership.’
-Harry Hermon, CEO, Irish Sailing Association
Make sure your sport is part of this Federation initiative and see how you can benefit from improved levels of cover and reduced insurance rates by contacting:
- Conn Mc Cluskey, Federation of Irish Sport on 01-6251155, conn.mccluskey@irishsport.ie or
- Gordon McDonagh/Martina Westphal, BHP Insurances on 01-6202030, gmcdonagh@bhpinsurance.ie/
mwestphal@bhpinsurance.ie
Click here for more information
May 31, 2013
Location:
Peamount United FC, Newcastle, South Dublin.
Date:
5th-11th May, 2013
Participating Teams/Athletes:
Republic of Ireland, USA, Scotland and The Netherlands
About CSPI Sport:
CSPI is the National Governing Body in Ireland for people with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland was founded in 1978 to offer sporting and recreational opportunities to individuals with cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities. They are also the governing body for football 7-aside and Boccia. They develop sports programmes in athletics, swimming, cycling, boccia and football 7-aside.
Event History:
This was the inaugural Dublin Gathering CP International Tournament, although the Republic of Ireland are no strangers to hosting International CP Tournaments having organized the CPISRA European Championships in UCD in 2006 and The St. Patrick’s Day Cup International Tournament in 2011, hosted by this years venue Peamount United FC.
Event Preparation:
This was a relatively small event with 4 international teams competing in 3 matches each against the other teams with a 3rd/4th place playoff and then a final for the two top teams. Admission to all games was free of charge and all were encouraged to come along, cheer on the ‘boys in green’ and welcome our visitors to South Dublin for what was an action packed week of top class CP football in the spirit of Gathering Ireland 2013.
The Tournament is supported by South Dublin County Council, South Dublin County Tourism Ltd, Fingal LEADER Partnership and Gathering Ireland. There was also huge support from the FAI and the Football for All programme manager Oisin Jordan. The Dublin Gathering International CP Tournament forms part of the overall strategy of getting Ireland’s global diaspora home (and contributing to the local economy) while enjoying a first class international tournament and experiencing the best of local hospitality and attractions at the same time.
The Dublin Gathering CP International Tournament was launched last October in South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Tallaght by Michael Ring TD the Irish Minister of State, at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Peamount United Club shop was open for the tournament where hot, cold drinks and confectionary were sold.
Mileno Sports were organisers of the event with Managing Director, Philip Behan, being the manager of the event. The company was formed by Philip Behan and Terry Behan who with 20 years of combined experience and excellent relationships in the Sports Business, branding and sponsorship worlds have created an exciting proposition for clients worldwide.
The Event:
Venue
Peamount United FC, Newcastle, South Dublin
Spectators/Attendees.
4 International teams: Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands, USA. Admission to all games was free of charge and the public were encouraged to come along. The event mainly saw Irish supporters attending the with each match seeing close to 150-200 people spectating. A strong family support was also present at all matches.
What next for CSPI in 2013?
Boccia-European Championships in Portugal from the 15th-23rd of June, Cheshire International 26th-28th July, National Boccia League-16 teams-runs from June-September, National Boccia Championships-October 2013.
Football-Intercontinental Cup in Barcelona from the 26th July-10th of August, Home Nations Development Championship from the 5th-8th of September.
….and for the Irish CP FootballTeam?
As Republic of Ireland came out victorious at the end of this tournament, they will look to win tournaments of a higher stature from now on like the Paralympics, World championships, World cup and European championships.
How the event went:
After many months of planning and preparation, Republic of Ireland were victorious after a 4-2 win on penalties against The Netherlands at Peamount United FC on Saturday 12thof May. The teams could not be separated following a 3-3 draw after extra time and the responsibility fell to Republic of Ireland’s Gary Messett to take the decisive penalty to send the home crowd into raptures and keep the trophy in Dublin for another year. The trophy was presented by Gino Kenny, Deputy Mayor of South Dublin County Council
Mr Kenny said ‘It has always been a very successful event for us and helps us to showcase the sport of CP football. The younger players are given the chance to see CP Football being played at its highest level and helps to encourage new players to get started. The team itself are extremely dedicated to the programme and their commitment see’s them put in 100% all of the time. They are strongly supported by Manager Mick Doyle and HP Programme Manager Paul Carrin.’
A BIG thanks must go to the FAI (Football Association of Ireland) and the Irish Sports Council for the funding that they invest in the programme and the event.
For more information please contact the office of CPSI at: info@cpsi.ie or 01 6251160
May 31, 2013
Taoiseach Enda Kenny, together with Minister Leo Varadkar officially opened the Irish Sport HQ at the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown on Wednesday 29th May.
Performing the opening the Taoiseach said, “Ireland is a country that is passionate about sport and it is fitting that where possible we should have world class facilities to support, encourage and inspire everyone to get involved in sport. This Government has put a renewed focus on supporting sporting activities nationwide and I’m delighted that significant progress has been made in the development of the National Sport Campus over the past 12 months. The opening of the Irish Sport HQ and the arrival of 19 national governing bodies is a major step in the development of the Campus. Today’s milestone will also help foster the sense of community and cooperation which I know already exists in Irish sport.”
The Federation of Irish Sport is one of the 19 National Governing Bodies who moved into the Campus. Work is currently underway on the Multi-Sport Pitches and Sport Pavilion and the planned High Performance facilities for Horse Sport Ireland and Pentathlon Ireland are scheduled for completion in August.
Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar said: “When I was appointed Minister I developed a new vision for the National Sports Campus. We decided there wasn’t going to be any new stadium. Instead, we made lands and facilities available and invited the governing bodies to develop them.”
Federation CEO, Sarah O’Connor commented on the signifiance of the opening: “Today is a step forward in the right direction for Irish Sport. A home for Governing Bodies as well elite training and high performance facilities for our current and emerging international athletes is a valuable asset from which Irish sport can benefit hugely. The new Irish Sport HQ enables Governing Bodies to interact and work together more collaboratively and the Federation will continue to work with Government to promote sport as a key tool in the creation of a better Ireland.”Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar said: “When I was appointed Minister I developed a new vision for the National Sports Campus. We decided there wasn’t going to be any new stadium. Instead, we made lands and facilities available and invited the governing bodies to develop them.”
Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Federation of Irish Sport CEO, Sarah O’Connor got the opportunity to discuss ‘Why Irish Sport Matters’ (see left).
For more information on the opening click here
May 27, 2013
Swim Ireland has teamed up with NUI Galway with a view to developing a new high performance analysis system for competitive swimming. The development work is well under way on the new system which utilises innovative kinematic sensing technology. The new technology which is in test mode is being designed to deliver performance information in real time both to the swimmer and his/her coach.
The technology is the brainchild of PhD student Robert Mooney who is a former Swim Ireland employee. The development team is led by Professor Gea
róid Ó Laighin of NUI Galway’s Discipline of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
Funding for the research is being provided both by Swim Ireland and by the Irish Research Council’s Enterprise Partnership Scheme. It is hoped to have the prototype system up and running by early 2014.
Once developed, the system will be tested on elite Irish swimmers to measure, record and track their technical improvements achieved with training. Athletes to be tested will include swimmers based at the recently established Swim Ireland Connacht Performance Centre, based at the Kingfisher facility on the NUI Galway campus and which was officially launched last November.
Lead researcher Robert Mooney commented: “A coach can often observe where improvements need to be made, but having hard evidence to back this up is key. We want to facilitate a new approach to swimming coaching, allowing for improved analysis of stroke mechanics, race performance and energy expenditure as well as real-time feedback to the swimmer, enabling more efficient, competitive and quantitative swim coaching.”![pr55259_[2]_MCM130412__506](http://irishsport.ie/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pr55259_2_MCM130412__506-150x146.jpg)
“Any competitive swimmer will tell you just how demanding their sport is. In a sport of narrow margins where the difference between winning and not winning can be little as one one-hundredth of a second, the availability of the proposed system might make all the difference”, explains Professor Ó Laighin. “With this in mind we are capitalising on low-cost, high-performance Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMs) technology coupled with innovative algorithms to achieve our goals.”
Peter Banks is Performance Director with Swim Ireland, the national governing body for aquatic sports in Ireland. Banks is no stranger to success, having coached US swimmer Brooke Bennett to three gold medals at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. “We have seen a marked increase in the success of Irish swimmers on the international stage in recent years, with medal winning performances by the likes of Gráinne Murphy, Sycerika McMahon and Melanie Nocher. This type of technology is very exciting for Irish swimming to be involved with, the project gives our coaches and swimmers an opportunity to learn more about how athletes perform in the training pool and helps us make more informed decisions around their training programmes.”
May 27, 2013
Coca-Cola Ireland today launched the 2013 Coca-Cola Thank You Fund (The Fund). The Fund, now in its third year, is once again making €125,000 available to eligible non-profit organisations on the island of Ireland. The Fund is inviting applications from non-profit organisations, charities and community groups who are seeking support to develop new and innovative projects or initiatives that encourage communities to lead more balanced, healthy and active lives. Entries are open from today until Friday 19th July 2013 and applications can be submitted on www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou.
The Fund is supported by The Federation of Irish Sport, The Wheel and The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA). The Fund is seeking proposals from organisations who take an innovative approach to encouraging communities to lead more balanced, healthy and active lifestyles. Taking a balanced approach to nutrition as well as incorporating activity and exercise into daily routines is vitally important for the health of the nation. This year The Fund is specifically looking for interesting new projects which are promoting innovative approaches to nutrition and activity which could have the potential to be scaled and rolled out across numerous communities.
A total of €125,000 is available this year for distribution through the The Fund. The overall winner will receive €25,000 and a further ten organisations will receive €10,000 each. The projects selected will represent best practice and will serve as a model for other communities wishing to implement similar programmes. Applicant organisations will be required to provide details on the reach and impact of their proposed project, as well as the innovative aspect which will capture the imagination and interest of the local community and encourage them to become involved.
In 2012 the winner of the main award of €25,000 was The Irish Olympic Handball Association (IOHA). The IOHA applied for funding to introduce the concept of Street Handball to communities across Ireland. Their entry focused on introducing 10,000 new people to Street Handball and the training of 200 teachers and youth group leaders across Ireland who would be able to make this vision a reality in Irish communities. Other organisations were awarded €10,000 in funding for their initiatives which included the creation of a new well-lit outdoor walking track in the grounds of Ballyduff Football Club in Co. Waterford; a dancing programme by Cois Ceim Dance Theatre in Dublin, Fortwilliam & Macrory Presbyterian Church in Belfast and a boxing programme focussing on females developed by Ballina Boxing Club, Co. Mayo.
Erica Roseingrave, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland, said: “Today we are inviting community-based non-profit organisations to take the opportunity to apply to the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund. We are keen to support projects that are new and take an innovative approach, and will engage people who may not be involved in sports and other activity-based hobbies at the moment as well as those that seek to highlight the importance of a balanced diet. The Fund also aims to recognise the enormous contribution made by organisers and volunteers each week across the country through worthwhile initiatives, and to maximise the effectiveness of their work through targeted financial support from Coca-Cola.”
The Coca-Cola Thank You Fund was formed in 2011 on the occasion of the Coca-Cola Company’s 125th anniversary and has seen €125,000 donated to non-profit organisations throughout the island of Ireland each year since. The Fund began as a way for Coca-Cola to say ‘thank you’ to the people of the island of Ireland for their loyal custom, and has since developed into a valued support mechanism for non-profit organisations.
The Fund will accept applications from today, 27th May, 2013, until 19th July, 2013. All applications should be submitted via the Coca-Cola website: www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou. After the closing date, a judging panel, which will include representatives from The Federation of Irish Sport, The Wheel, NICVA and Coca-Cola, will convene to agree on a shortlist of 45 organisations which will be published on the Coca-Cola website on September 1st, 2013. The public will then be asked to vote on who should be selected. 50% of the final decision will derive from the public vote and 50% will be determined by the expert judging panel. The winners will be announced in November 2013.
To find out more about The Fund, or to submit an application, please visit www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou.
![pr55259_[2]_MCM130412__506](http://irishsport.ie/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pr55259_2_MCM130412__506.jpg)