May 30, 2012
Coca-Cola today launched the ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’ and announced the availability of €125,000 in funding to community and voluntary groups promoting active lifestyles throughout the islandof Ireland. The ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’ is open for entries from today until July 6th, 2012and will be accepted through www.coca-cola.ie.
The ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’, which is being supported by The Wheel and The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA), has been developed to support innovative projects and initiatives that are helping people and communities adopt and enjoy more active lifestyles.
Speaking today, Erica Roseingrave, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Coca-Cola HBCIreland said: “In 2011 Coca-Cola Company celebrated its 125th birthday and marked the occasion in Ireland with the launch of the ‘Coca-Cola 125 Years Thank You Fund’. The Fund recognised the very worthwhile work that is happening in communities all over the island. We were overwhelmed by the response that the Fund received with a total of 600 worthy applications. Fifteen grants were awarded to support initiatives in three broad areas: Youth programmes, Environmental projects and programmes supporting active lifestyles. The majority of applications were in this last category so as a result this year we have decided to make this area the focus of the fund.”
“Through the Fund we not only want to support relevant initiatives which are already in place, we particularly want to hear from organisations that have new and innovative ideas, which they want to introduce and require funding to make happen.”
A total of €125,000 is available for distribution through the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund to eligible organisations. Ten projects will €10,000 grants and this year, an outstanding overall winner will be awarded funding of €25,000. The project selected will represent best practice and will be a creative, innovative initiative capable of being replicated in other communities.
As the official partner to the ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’ Deirdre Garvey, Chief Executive of The Wheel said: “The Wheel is delighted to be partnering with Coca-Cola again this year for the ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’. The Coca-Cola Company is to be commended on its continued investment in communities in Ireland, particularly at a time, when many community and voluntary organisations are trying to meet an increasing demand for their services with less money. Corporate leaders, like Coca-Cola, are helping to meet a growing funding gap for many organisations and we would expect this to be a keenly contested application process. I would encourage any organisation with an innovative solution in this area to apply.”
The ‘Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’ is open for entries from today, 30th of May until the 6th of July. All applications will be accepted online at www.coca-cola.ie. After the entries are closed a judging panel consisting of Coca‑Cola, The Wheel and the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action will create a shortlist of 45 organisations which will be published on the www.coca-cola.ie website onSeptember 1st, 2012. The public vote will account for 50% of the final decision and a vote by an expert judging panel will account for the remaining 50%. The winners will be announced by November 2012.
Full details on ‘The Coca-Cola Thank You Fund’ can be found at www.coca-cola.ie.
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 26, 2012
Setanta Sports Ireland has secured the TV rights to ensure live coverage of the Paralympic Games for the first time in Ireland.
All coverage of the London 2012 Paralympic Games will be broadcast on a freeview basis on the Setanta Ireland channel.
At a launch in Irishtown Stadium today, Setanta Sports Ireland confirmed that they will be showing live coverage of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Setanta Sports also confirmed that they will be showing this coverage on a ‘freeview’ basis on Setanta Ireland. This means that the coverage on the Setanta Ireland channel on satellite will be unencrypted so that all viewers in Sky homes will have free access to the channel whether they are a Setanta subscriber or not. This combined with the Setanta Ireland channel being free on UPC and the Setanta player being available in all eircom broadband homes means that approximately 1.3 million households will be able to view the games.
Present at the launch were five Irish Paralympic athletes who are targeting success at London 2012. Mark Rohan, Orla Barry, Padraic Moran, Eimear Breathnach and Darragh McDonald were delighted to know that those friends and family who won’t be able to make it to London will still have a chance to see them compete.
Brian Quinn Marketing Director of Setanta Sports commented “We are delighted to be broadcasting the games on a freeview basis. This means that the majority of Irish households will be able to follow the Irish performances. I would like to pay tribute to Allianz for their support. They are not simply a sponsor of our coverage, they have played a far bigger role than that. Without them live Paralympics TV coverage would not be seen in Ireland. We appreciate their vision and are very thankful to have the opportunity to bring live coverage to the friends, families and fans of Irish Paralympians.”
Brendan Murphy CEO of Allianz Ireland added “For the first time ever Irish audiences will witness the achievements of Team Ireland as they happen, which for Allianz, as a long-time partner of the Paralympic Movement, was seen as a fundamental need in the Irish market. By supporting Paralympics Ireland and Irish athletes, Allianz supports their quest for medals but also, through our association with Setanta, to drive awareness of the Paralympic movement and provide live, real time access to all that is achieved.”
Liam Harbison CEO of Paralympics Ireland is delighted with the extra coverage “This is a momentous announcement for Irish Paralympic sport. The Irish Team are on the cusp of great success at London 2012 and we’re thrilled that the support of Setanta and Allianz will allow the Irish public to view, admire and be inspired by the achievements of Ireland’s elite Paralympians. Paralympic sport at the top level is exciting, gripping and ferociously competitive – we look forward to Setanta bringing this to Irish sports fans.”
