Feb 22, 2021
On Tuesday the 6th of April it is World Table Tennis Day. We at Table Tennis Ireland are celebrating World Table Tennis Day with a Women in Sport event, which will be done at home and virtually due to the global pandemic Covid-19. This event will be a fun filled day hosted by our female club members, players and coaches. Throughout the day there will be trick shots demonstrated by some of our top female players with some fun competitions to win some cool Table Tennis and Women in Sport prizes. We are also hosting a live webinar during the day with our coaches and top female players. There can only be 100 attendees at our live webinar, but don’t worry if you can’t make it! The webinar will be recorded so you can watch it back on YouTube whenever you would like.
Please keep any eye out on our website https://tabletennisireland.ie/ and our various social medias; Twitter https://twitter.com/tabletennisire , Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tabletennisireland/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TableTennisIreland/ and our YouTube Channel Table Tennis Ireland – YouTube to hear from our players about all things Table Tennis.
Feb 22, 2021
Bike Like Me is Cycling Ireland’s overarching campaign to inspire more women and girls to discover cycling and feel confident on their bikes. The campaign aligns with Sport Ireland’s Policy on Women in Sport which intends to address four target areas- Active Participation, Coaching and Officiating, Visibility and Leadership, and Governance.
Targeting the area of Active Participation, Cycling Ireland recently launched a series of online training programmes for women and girls through the Bike Like Me campaign, which has seen over 600 women and girls signup over the past two weeks. The 8-week programmes have been designed by Cycling Ireland Coach, Jamie Blanchfield of Premier Endurance, catering for beginner and intermediate riders, and are led by inspirational leaders each week.
Cycling Ireland have also selected six new Bike Like Me Advocates who will assist in promoting cycling to women and girls in their local club and community, targeting the area of Visibility. Keep an eye on the Cycling Ireland social media accounts as a new advocate will be announced each week, sharing their story of how they got involved in cycling and their love for the sport.
ENDS
Feb 19, 2021
- Government Chief Whip and Minister of state at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht and Sport with special responsibility for Sport and the Gaeltacht Jack Chambers will join EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel on the line up of speakers addressing 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.
The Federation of Irish Sport are delighted to announce that Minister Chambers will address attendees as part of the upcoming member forum to be held on March 1st. The Minister joins previously announced keynote speaker, EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, with a focus on Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, Sport and Youth.
Announcing the Minister’s attendance, Federation CEO Mary O’Connor said, ‘The Federation has developed a strong and positive working relationship with Minister Chambers and his wider team since taking office. We are very pleased he can join our member forum as it is an opportunity for members to understand and engage with the work of the Department further. We look forward to Minister Chambers’ address on the 1st of March and to continuing to work with the Minister and his department on the priorities for the sector’.
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.
ENDS.
Queries to sarah.maloney@irishsport.ie
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
