Feb 15, 2021
American Football Ireland (AFI) are delighted to announce an exciting new partnership between AFI and the
internationally renowned, Hope Through Football Foundation. Founded by NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl
Winner Rod Woodson, Hope Through Football is a non-profit association created so that coaches and players
can develop, expand and sharpen their football knowledge and skills, all while learning character & life skills.
The foundation offers a platform which allows highly experienced coaches and players to share their
knowledge and wisdom of the game to football lovers all over the world.
“This is a phenomenal day for our sport and members. We are delighted to agree a partnership with Coach
Woodson and the Hope Through Football Foundation. The potential for the growth and development of our
members cannot be understated. This partnership will improve the standard of coaching across all areas of
kitted, flag and youth football within our association. It is our hope as a board, that this opportunity will also
encourage more AFI members to get involved in coaching, and ultimately encourage more young males and
females to become involved in playing our sport at all levels. This is a fantastic opportunity for the sport of
American football on our island, and I encourage all members to embrace and soak up all the knowledge
which Hope Through Football can bring forward” Aidan Maguire, AFI President
Hope Through Football Founder/NFL Hall of Famer, Coach Rod Woodson stated that: Hope Through Football
and #sharetheknowledge are super excited to embark on this relationship with American Football Ireland.
Opportunities can be explored together with the forward thinking process of the AFI. We look forward to a
long and growing relationship to benefit the football community in Ireland, whilst bringing international
relationships closer. We would like to thank the AFI for allowing us the opportunity to be involved.
Irish Wolfhound Head Coach, Ciaran O’Sullivan stated: “Before I was approached by an old friend of football
in Ireland, Coach Tariq Ayub of the London Olympians I had already tuned into several Hope Through Football
virtual seminars. I was impressed by the quality of the information being shared, the level of coaches
delivering the seminars, the understanding that football is a global game played at all levels and most of all
the caliber of the people involved starting with Coach Rod Woodson whose passion for football is infectious
and uplifting even in these dark days. When Coach Ayub explained that HTF wanted to explore the possibility
of a working partnership with AFI I was delighted to get both parties in the same virtual room working on a
partnership. I am looking forward to working with Coach Ayub and Coach Woodson to ensure our players
and coaches get the most out of this amazing resource. As Head Coach of the Irish Wolfhounds I will be
advising our players and coaches make the most of this wonderful opportunity. At the same time hope that
every club in the American Football Ireland gets involved and we work to improve Irish football together.”
Coach Tariq Ayub, #sharetheknowledge stated “I am very pleased to help develop the relationship with the
AFI and Hope through Football. At the core of this is the ability to share knowledge and grow the sport we
all love. Immensely proud and pleased Coach Woodson and the AFI have entrusted me with this endeavour.
I look forward to working closely with coach Ciaran O’Sullivan.”
At this time, I would like to thank Coach O’Sullivan and Coach Ayub for putting the wheels in motion so that
this partnership could be discussed and agreed. Thank you to Coach Woodson for showing a commitment in
helping us grow as an association from a knowledge-based standpoint. Aidan Maguire AFI President.
American Football Ireland now looks forward to a long and healthy partnership with Hope Through Football.
Stay tuned to our website and social media, as our first live session will be coming to a screen near you
shortly.
Feb 12, 2021
Healthy Ireland and sponsorship of Operation Transformation
The ‘Keep Well’ cross-Government community resilience campaign co-ordinated by Healthy Ireland and funded by Sláintecare is sponsoring Operation Transformation this year.
The remaining programmes will go out at 9.30 on Wednesday nights on RTE 1 TV.
Operation Transformation is a TV series on RTE 1 encouraging the Irish public to get active and get healthy. Over the course of the show it gives the nation the tools they need to get moving, lose weight and feel great. It is however much more than a TV programme – it is an empowering movement with the ability to have a significant impact on the behaviours we need to change. The viewership for the last 3 weeks has been greater than 400,000 viewers per episode.
The leaders and themes are supported across the Healthy Ireland social media channels, in particular Facebook and also a series of helpful videos, similar to above. The Healthy Ireland team would be grateful if you would share this information across your social channels.
Feb 12, 2021
- EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, Sport and Youth will deliver the keynote address to Federation of Irish Sport members at their upcoming CEO/Manager forum.
- The briefing will also provide updates to members on the work of the Federation of Irish Sport from CEO, Mary O’Connor.
- Other special guest speakers to be announced.
The Federation of Irish Sport are delighted to host Commissioner Gabriel as part of the upcoming member forum to be held on March 1st. The commissioner’s work in Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, Sport and Youth aligns with that of Federation members and her keynote address will serve to update, inspire and drive innovation among the Irish sport sector. The commissioner’s work supports the belief that ‘Sport lies at the centre of interest and everyday life of European citizens. It is vital for our society and for our economy’, a view that all Federation of Irish Sport members share.
Speaking about the Commissioner’s attendance, Federation CEO Mary O’Connor said, ‘We are delighted to host Commissioner Gabriel as part of our member forum. The commissioner’s work in the areas of education, sport and youth will be of particular relevance to our members. It is vital that the sector has the opportunity to engage, understand and learn from the work of the EU commission, particularly during challenging times where advocacy for sport and physical activity, and it’s role in society, is of key importance.’
The member forum will also provide updates on the work of the Federation of Irish Sport over the past months including the hugely successful Volunteers in Sport Awards, insight into member engagement activities and advocacy for the year ahead.
Further special guest speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.
ENDS.
Queries to sarah.maloney@irishsport.ie
Further biographical information on Commissioner Mariya Gabriel can be found at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/sites/comm-cwt2019/files/maryia_gabriel-cv_1.pdf
Feb 12, 2021
12th February 2021
Rowing Ireland is delighted to announce a new partnership with Sanity System (www.sanitysystem.ie) as the official sanitisation solution for the Irish Rowing Team.
Sanity System is an air and surface Sanitisation system proven to eliminate COVID-19 to 99.9%. The system can be used in vehicles and rooms and will provide a solution to keep the athletes safe while training and travelling.
The partnership has enabled the High-Performance Team to be provided with state-of-the-art High-Grade Eco-Friendly Sanitisation Equipment to help them train and travel safely. The funding will also part-fund the acquisition of a new team vehicle to transport the team and boats around Europe for training and competition.
This is an important year for Irish Rowing as there are several international competitions taking place before the Olympics in July 2021. The partnership with Sanity System is important for the team’s preparation in a safe manner and supports the performance of our High-Performance athletes.
Rowing Ireland’s High-Performance Director, Antonio Maurogiovanni said, “Our High-Performance Team need to perform at an elite level and Sanity System as a licensed and trusted Sanitisation System will help our athletes to travel and train safely, especially with the ever-present risk of COVID-19.
Rowing Ireland’s Chief Executive Officer, Michelle Carpenter, said, “We are proud to welcome Sanity System as one of our new title partners in what will be an exciting year for Irish Rowing. The level of service, professionalism and knowledge displayed by the Sanity System team here in Ireland is a great support to Team Ireland in preparing for the Tokyo Olympics and other competitions during 2021.
Protecting our athletes and staff from Covid-19 is a key risk for us right now. Sanity System is proven to eliminate COVID-19 and was warmly welcomed by staff and athletes when we introduced the system.
We are committed to ensuring the importance of good sanitisation, particularly in our home at the National Rowing Centre. We are delighted to work with Sanity System, a partner to help all our athletes prepare for such a significant year in the safest environment possible.”
David Byrne, Managing Director of Sanity System Ireland commented “Sanity System has been providing specialist sanitisation equipment to High Performance/Elite athletes and teams for the past number of years such as Ex Formula 1 Driver Giancarlo Fisichella and we are delighted with the opportunity to help Team Ireland in achieving their ambitions and compete at the elite level in 2021”.
About Sanity Systems
Sanity System is an Italian company which provides specialist portable Sanitisation equipment to eliminates COVID-19 as well as MRSA ad E.coli. Sanity System has been providing Medical Grade Sanitisation Equipment since 2008 to governments businesses, emergency services, businesses, and schools. The Company launched its Irish operations in 2018 and had a firm foothold in Ireland prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. In the past 12 months sales of Sanity System has increased exponentially as the demand for proven and licenced sanitisation equipment has increased.
Sanity System is now widely used in Ireland by Emergency Services, Garda Siochana, Nursing homes, HSE, Automotive brands, schools, creches, and many small and large businesses throughout Ireland as they seek to protect staff, visitors, students, and customers.
Sanity System’s machines are available to rent or buy and come in different sizes that can be used for rooms and vehicles. The machines saturate the area to be treated with ozone gas, a scientifically proven method of killing bacteria and viruses.
Sanity System is independently tested to be 99.9% effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID19.
Sanity Systems is based in Mulhuddart, Dublin and cater for all types of businesses visit www.sanitysystem.ie. They can be contacted on 01 685 5152 or by email on info@sanitysystem.ie
Feb 8, 2021
The Alliance for Insurance Reform has expressed serious concerns regarding the validity of the Judicial Personal Injuries Guidelines due to be adopted on February 20th in light of reforms due to be put in place in England & Wales this May.
Peter Boland, Director of the Alliance, which represents charities, voluntary and community groups, sports and cultural organisations and SMEs severely affected by insurance costs said “Personal injury damages for whiplash injuries, which account for a massive proportion of personal injury claims in Ireland, are already 4.4 times higher than in England & Wales. But this May, awards for minor whiplash injuries in England & Wales are scheduled to be dramatically reduced. This will leave the guidelines due to be adopted by the Judicial Council on the 20th February completely out of synch with the jurisdiction that much of our legal precedent comes from, to an extent that will make it difficult to maintain the credibility of the Irish guidelines unless this reduction is factored in.“
Examples of the reductions that are expected in England & Wales include:
- “Whiplash – recovery within 1 year.” Currently £3,710. Expected to drop to £1,250 in May. (Currently €15,700 in Ireland)
- “Whiplash – recovery within 2 years.” Currently £6,730. Expected to drop to £3,910 in May. (Currently €19,400 in Ireland)
“We call on the Judicial Council, in their deliberations between now and 20th February, to take the new England & Wales guidelines into account and have regard to the common good in reducing general damages for fully recovered minor injuries by at least 80% to reflect international norms and norms already established by the Court of Appeal.”
ENDS
NOTES:
“Whiplash injuries, which account for a massive proportion of personal injury claims in Ireland, are already 4.4 times higher than in England & Wales” – from the Personal Injuries Commission final report, 2018 https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/Second-and-Final-Report-Personal-Injuries-Commission.html
Overall, the Alliance expects general damages for minor, fully recovered soft tissue injuries to be recalibrated in the manner reflected in the ISME Fair Book of Quantum which corresponds with our own independent academic advice.
The Alliance for Insurance Reform brings together 40 civic and business organisations from across Ireland, representing over 56,000 members, 700,000 employees, 599,000 volunteers and 374,000 students in highlighting the negative impact of persistently high premiums and calling for real reforms that will quickly reduce liability and motor insurance premiums to affordable levels and keep them that way. Our members include:
- AOIFE Ireland (Association of Irish Festival Events)
- Car Rental Council of Ireland
- Childminding Ireland
- Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland
- Community Reuse Network Ireland
- Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association
- Cork Business Association
- Early Childhood Ireland
- Family Business Network Ireland
- Federation of Irish Sport
- Galway Chamber
- Galway City Business Association
- Galway County Public Participation Network (PPN)
- Home and Community Care Ireland
- Ireland Active
- Ireland’s Association for Adventure Tourism
- Irish Caravan and Camping Council
- Irish Concrete Federation
- Irish Hotels Federation
- Irish Road Haulage Association
- Irish Showman’s Guild
- Irish Street Arts, Circus and Spectacle Network
- Irish Travel Agents Association
- ISME
- Licensed Vintners Association
- Motorsport Ireland
- Nursing Homes Ireland
- Play Activity and Leisure Ireland
- Quick Service Food Alliance
- Restaurants Association of Ireland
- Retail Excellence
- RGDATA
- Sligo PPN
- Society of the Irish Motor Industry
- South Dublin County PPN
- Sport Ireland
- Union of Students in Ireland
- Vintners Federation of Ireland
- Volunteer Ireland
- The Wheel (Ireland’s national association for community, voluntary and charitable organisations)
For further details contact:
Peter Boland
ALLIANCE FOR INSURANCE REFORM
TEL: 086 826 6036
WEB: insurancereform.ie
FB: /insurancereformireland
TW: @InsuranceRefIre
Feb 4, 2021
Clubforce, the Galway-based sports participation software company, today announces plans to double its workforce following a €2.5m investment in the business.
This expanded workforce of 40 members of staff will be spread between its Galway and UK offices and will allow Clubforce to accelerate delivery of an ambitious product roadmap. This will see the existing club management system evolve into a complete sports participation system, which will transform how club members, sports clubs and their governing bodies interact with each other.
The new investment comes as Clubforce finished 2020 strongly with unprecedented demand for new and better technological solutions from sports club volunteers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the announcement, Warren Healy, founder and CEO of Clubforce, said “Sports organisations were already feeling a certain level of strain before the pandemic struck. Grassroots sports relies heavily on volunteers, who tend to be time-poor and the pandemic has made the role far more challenging. Our plan is to provide these volunteers with a significant number of additional tools to simply make their roles easier. We know that volunteer tasks are an increasing challenge and we’re helping sports clubs to solve these challenges. The volunteers are the fulcrum around which everything else rotates in amateur sports.”
Warren pointed out that most of the heavy lifting on the fundraise was driven by the company CFO, Carole Neylon and the existing board. Carole commented that the funds will allow Clubforce to deliver on the vision of the company which is to bring participation management to the core of its product and to continue its international expansion from the Galway base. Carole went on to say that “while the product will be expanding significantly in its reach, the volunteer in these sports organisations will always be core to all of the product development”.
Carole added that “demand across the country, and overseas, has gone through the roof in recent months because of good marketing, good product and the effects of the pandemic. The investment and ongoing recruitment drive will give us everything we need to develop a world class product for our loyal and increasing customer base”.
The investment also sees a significant addition to the board as Noel Murray, ex Head of Operations – Japan and Asia with Microsoft, is set to re-enter the fray of business as Chairman of the board at Clubforce.
For enquiries contact:
Paul Madden
Director of Global Operations
paul@clubforce.com
087-6639282
About Clubforce
Clubforce is a complete sports participation system which gives sporting organisations and their people the tools to drive greater participation in their sport. The desktop and mobile application enable sports bodies to efficiently manage data, communications and funds and to collaborate on any aspect of sports participation with progress monitored through easy-to-use visual reporting.
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