Mar 5, 2019
On Friday March 1st, AVIVA stadium played host to a gathering of Irish sporting bodies for a knowledge sharing UEFA Masterclass in partnership with the Federation of Irish Sport. The sold-out audience included over 25 National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships, universities, city councils, media, sponsors and sports agencies. The 200 attendees were treated to ten sessions with UEFA GROW experts covering topics including strategic planning, digital engagement, strategic communications, stakeholder management, participation and women’s sporting development.
Attendees also received an insight into the running of a major UEFA event in the form of a Knowledge Burst from EURO2020 project leader Declan Conroy.
With over 50 organisations representing a wide range of sports and businesses, attendees not only learned about various sectors of the sporting industry but collaborated and compared ideas on how the topics applied to their organisations. A great day for knowledge sharing and networking!
The final session of the day saw FAI CEO John Delaney and Romanian FA President Razvan Burleanu join forces to deliver an interactive session on how to build a federation and the importance of tying all of the day’s lessons into a coherent plan for your organisation.
Mary O’Connor CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, who closed proceeding , thanked UEFA for their expert learnings and for sharing their knowledge and time with such a wide cross section of Irish sport today, “Today has been a great day for those involved in sport in Ireland and I have full faith that the lessons learned here in Aviva Stadium will long benefit our many member associations and the wider sporting administration in Ireland.”
The Federation would like to thank all those who made the masterclass a success including the continued support of our partners, many of whom were in attendance on the day, Crown Plaza, Print Depot, Clann Credo, Teamer, JLT Sport, Leman Solicitors, OSK and Dublin City Sport and Wellbeing Partnership.
The Federation of Irish Sport also announced details of their annual conference to the audience in Aviva Stadium. The conference, which will take place on May 23rd in DCU, will be titled “Sport and physical activity – the most inclusive community of all?”. Further details will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Feb 27, 2019
The Olympic Federation of Ireland is proud to launch Dare to Believe, a school activation programme championed and supported by the Athletes’ Commission. Olympism, Paralympism and the benefits of sport will be promoted in schools nationwide by some of Ireland’s best known and most accomplished athletes in a fun and interactive manner. The initial pilot phase is targeting the fifth and sixth class students in primary schools.
Launching the programme today were Irish Lightweight Women’s World Boxing Champion Kellie Harrington, Irish Olympic Rower Claire Lambe and Paralympic Swimmer Nicole Turner, all of whom will be part of the programme.
The aim of the programme is to promote the wider values of sport to children – teachers and students will receive resource packs with a range of activities and information based on five rings – Olympism and Paralympism, Healthy Mind and Body, Joy of Effort and Courage, and Respect, Responsibility and Equality. The final ring is titled ‘Striving for Excellence’ and involves a high-performance athlete or Olympian/Paralympian telling the class about their journey in sport.
The dual purpose of the programme is to help athletes to develop their presentation skills and profiles, while providing a small additional revenue stream. For the Olympic Federation of Ireland, it is it is important to have a meaningful impact on children, and how sport can benefit them across a variety of realms. It is intended that Dare to Believe will be developed further in the coming years helping to bring the many values of sport and Olympism to the classrooms, as well as to help athletes with their own story telling.
Dare to Believe was developed by 2008 Olympian Roisin McGettigan, who competed in the steeplechase:
“When I came home from the Olympic Games, I was asked to speak at my local schools. I had all of these hard-earned lessons, international experiences and passion for my sport that I was bursting to share with the next generation, but I soon realised that presenting my story effectively was something I needed to prepare for. I felt that if I had a template to work with and guidance on how to tell my story, it would have been a better experience for me, but more importantly a better experience for the children to whom I was speaking. It got me thinking about what could be done. I’m delighted that the Olympic Federation of Ireland, the Athletes’ Commission and the International Olympic Committee have backed this programme. Dare to Believe is an engaging programme that will make a difference in the classrooms and strengthen relationships with Olympians.”
Kellie Harrington is one of the Dare to Believe ambassadors who will be visiting schoolchildren:
“I am delighted to be an ambassador of this brilliant and refreshing programme. As a teenager I started boxing to make a lifestyle change, and at that time, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would become a world champion and be competing in the highest level competitions. I want to be able to pass on all the skills I have learnt from sport and try to leave a positive impact on children and teenagers that will make them want to go on and achieve great things in life. Sport has given me great discipline and focus in all aspects of my life, I am looking forward to sharing this with the next generation.”
Peter Sherrard, CEO of Olympic Federation of Ireland commented,
“As we grow as an organisation, reaching out nationally to children is vitally important. Dare to Believe is the perfect platform to us to achieve this. Through our fantastic athlete ambassadors, we can help teachers, and really connect with school children by developing their skills across a wide range of areas at a crucial stage in their development. The curriculum and interactive resources have been developed by Olympian Roisin McGettigan and former elite athlete Roisin Jones in partnership with the IOC. I want thank them for all of their work in helping the Olympic Federation of Ireland and our Athletes’ Commission to create a tangible support platform for our athletes.”
The Dare to Believe Olympic Schools Programme aims to inspire and increase youth participation in sports by maximizing our Olympic athletes’ roles as ambassadors through inspirational workshops in schools around Ireland. The Olympic Federation of Ireland is facilitating Ireland’s top ambassador athletes across a variety of sports and preparing them to go into schools with the aim of inspiring the kids by telling their stories of dedication, resilience, determination etc. In addition, the Olympic Federation of Ireland have created an interactive curriculum for teachers based on Olympic and Paralympic values to increase the impact of our ambassadors’ visits and foster its relationship with schools in Ireland. Visit www.daretobelieve.ie for further information on how to get involved.
Feb 26, 2019
Sport Ireland has launched the new Safeguarding Guidance for Children and Young People in Sport. The Federation welcomes the continued high standards being set by Sport Ireland and of crucial importance for all our members.
The new Guidance specifically builds on the core principles of safeguarding originally set out in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children in Sport, providing alignment with current legislation and Children First Guidance 2017.
Speaking at today’s launch, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, said: “Ensuring children and young people partake in sport and physical activity in a safe and welcoming environment is of paramount importance, and is given particular emphasis in the new National Sports Policy. This is underpinned by the three levels of safeguarding training offered by Sport Ireland. These are the recognised basic training requirements and must be adhered to by all sporting bodies. The new developments announced today by Sport Ireland, will have a positive impact on the safeguarding landscape, not just on a national level but also in every sports club across the island of Ireland. I commend those who have put a lot of hard work into the development of these resources and I look forward to their rollout.”
The new Safeguarding Guidance, which was developed in conjunction with Sport NI and National Governing Bodies of Sport addresses issues facing sports leaders involved in children and young people’s sport by providing guidance relating directly to their roles and responsibilities within their clubs. The document outlines principles of good practice and child protection legislation, policy and procedures.
Sport Ireland Chief Executive, John Treacy, added: “Sport Ireland is delighted to publish the new Safeguarding Guidance for Children and Young People in Sport. This important resource reflects the challenges that National Governing Bodies and their clubs face on a day to day basis, ensuring that current best practice is followed while also complying with today’s relevant legislation. On behalf of Sport Ireland, I would like to thank the National Governing Bodies and Sport NI for their valuable input into this document.”
At today’s announcement on the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus, the Minister announced details of Sport Ireland’s new safeguarding self-assessment framework for National Governing Bodies of Sport. The framework will also provide a mechanism and supports for NGBs in turn to audit their clubs in relation to the area of Safeguarding.
The main purpose of the Sport Ireland Safeguarding Audit framework is to support National Governing Bodies to strengthen their adherence to safeguarding policies and procedures thereby ensuring that children and young people partaking in sport are protected. The audit framework was developed in conjunction with The Ineqe Group and follows an extensive consultation process with National Governing Bodies, including workshops, pilot testing, and culminating now in the roll out of the audit tool.
Sport Ireland Director of Participation and Ethics, Dr Una May, commented: “The main focus of Sport Ireland’s new Safeguarding Audit Framework will be to ensure that sporting organisations at all levels across Ireland are adequately structured and resourced to provide a safe environment in which all children and young people can partake in sport and physical activity. This is an important development for sport in Ireland, and Sport Ireland acknowledges the input and buy-in from the sporting sector in supporting this initiative.”
Also announced today was Sport Ireland’s second online resource in the area of safeguarding. The Sport Ireland Staying Safe Online resource is a web based information and guidance tool on internet safety predominately aimed at parents, guardians, coaches and young people involved in sport. The resource provides detailed content on all aspects of online safety.
The new Safeguarding guidance for Children and Young People in Sport can be downloaded here.
The Sport Ireland Staying Safe Online resource can be accessed here.
Feb 22, 2019
Head coach of the Ireland Senior Women’s basketball team, James Weldon, has today announced his management team for the 2020 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries campaign.
Coach Weldon will be supported by two hugely experienced assistant coaches: Jillian Hayes, former Irish international and current assistant coach to Women’s Super League team Maxol WIT Wildcats, and former UL Huskies star and 2012 Olympian Rachael Vanderwal. The team manager for the squad will be Maeve Cafolla.
Speaking about the news, Coach Weldon stated: “I’m delighted to welcome Jillian, Rachael and Maeve on board. All three bring a vast amount of international experience in playing, coaching and management to the roles, and I’m really looking forward to tapping into this experience with them and our other support staff.”
ENDS
For more information: Mary McGuire, Media & Communications Manager, Basketball Ireland – 086 174 3851
Feb 20, 2019
Speech by President Michael D. Higgins
at the Reception for the Cork Camogie Team
2018 All Ireland Winners
Áras an Uachtaráin
Tuesday, 19th February 2019
A Dhaoine Uaisle,
agus a Chairde Gael,
Is cúis mhór áthais dom fíorchaoin fáilte a fhearadh romhaibh go léir chuig Áras an Uachtaráin tráthnóna. Tugann sé sásamh faoi leith dom féin agus do Shaidhbhín ár n-aitheantas a thaispeáint díbhse, laochanna camógaigh atá tar éis an duais is tábhachtaí in bhur spóirt a bhuachaint. Cé go bhfuil roinnt míosa imithe ónar bhain sibh an éacht sin amach, is cóir go leanfar an ceiliúradh ar aghaidh go dtí seo ar a laghad!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, and of course, our Cork Camogie Team – 2018 All Ireland Winners! I am delighted to warmly welcome you to Áras an Uachtaráin this afternoon.
On behalf of everyone who loves sport, everyone who followed with great interest and pride the exciting and exhilarating All Ireland Camogie Final between Cork and Kilkenny in Croke Park last September, it is both a great pleasure and an honour to join with you and celebrate Cork Camogie Team’s marvellous achievement in winning the All Ireland Camogie Final, one of the largest sporting events in Ireland.
The 2018 All Ireland Camogie final was a most memorable and truly thrilling game from beginning to end, and this was most evident to me at the time, not only in the final heart-stopping moments of the game when Orla Cotter remained calm and composed under pressure to score the winning point that secured Cork’s fantastic win, but I was also struck by the great teamwork. This would not be possible if not for the dedication and commitment that you have all given and the hours of training, often in very cold and inclement weather that this beautiful country of ours offers us.
Teamwork and unity are, of course, paramount in our everyday lives but it also strikes me how wonderfully typical the family connections in Gaelic games are and I am delighted to see that great example in the Murray family – with Aoife Murray (Goalkeeper and Captain), Paudie Murray (Manager), and Kevin Murray (Selector); a truly winning combination!
It was very clear to me on that exciting All Ireland Final Day in September that yours is a team of great unity and mutual respect, always encouraging and championing each other.
Each and every one of you deserve a special mention for your outstanding contributions and achievement and I would like to commend you all for the great example you are to our young people.
Leadership, working as a team, and respect for others are important themes of Gaelic Games and indeed of all sports, and these are qualities that translate right across into community work and everyday life regardless of where you live.
The members of the Cork Camogie Team possibly know more than anyone else that in sport there is never certainty about the outcome, there are no certain winners, but there are always courageous and committed athletes. That is part of the challenging journey each participant in sport must travel, one of the challenges they face and overcome again and again, and it does not get progressively easier.
All of you know only too well how tight the margins are between winning and losing, at the level of competing in excellence, how much courage it takes to face up to those margins, to accept the risks, to commit to the ethic of competing, of being tested rigorously and accepting the outcome whatever it is.
We are very proud of you and are very grateful to you for going the distance in your training and participation, making so many sacrifices, to be the very best.
Your experiences and achievements will serve to inspire the imagination of others, making you inspiring role models for Ireland’s young women.
There is widespread agreement on the importance of sport in the overall development of the human person. It is vital that women participate in sport and are given every opportunity to do so, both from a lifestyle and enjoyment perspective. Irish women’s sport has never been stronger and in recent years the achievements of our female sports stars have contributed enormously to the overall success of Irish Sport. Cumann Camógaíochta na nGael are among those leading the way in providing sporting opportunities for young women throughout Ireland.
Throughout my Presidency I have sought to champion, advance and celebrate women’s achievements, highlighting the need for gender equality in every aspect of life, at home, abroad, and in sport.
It has been a pleasure for Sabina and I to celebrate International Women’s Day here at Áras an Uachtaráin every year and I am delighted to support the – 20×20 If You Can’t See It, You Can’t Be It – initiative; a movement which will shift cultural perception of women’s sport by committing to increase media coverage of women in sport by 20% – because if she can’t see it, she can’t be it.
We will all remember that wonderful day in late November last year, when UNESCO announced recognition of Ireland’s unique sports, Hurling and Camogie, on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
That global acknowledgement of the unique and cultural significance Camogie and Hurling, and of the important role Gaelic games play in Irish society is a tribute to the Gaelic sports associations whose work and volunteering ethos form the beating hearts of so many communities all over the island of Ireland and, indeed, all across the world, as Gaelic games are now played on every continent.
UNESCO’s recognition of the important role Gaelic games play in society, that they are an intrinsic part of Irish culture; they play a central role in promoting health, well-being and inclusiveness, highlights yet again that team spirit, respect for skill, excellence and creativity that are at the very heart of Irish society.
Is féidir linn a bheith brodúil as ár n-oidhreacht Gaelach. Ár dteanga, ár gcultúr, ár gceoil agus ár gcluichí gaelacha. Is féidir linn misneach a bheith againn inár n-ábaltacht deis a thabhairt do phaistí fud fad na tíre, agus i go leor áiteanna thar lear in a bhfuil pobail gaelacha, deis a thabhairt do chailíní agus buachailí óga páirt a ghlacadh sna cluichí seo agus gach tairbhe a bhaint astu.
We can all be very proud of our native sports and of our international reputation for creativity, a reputation which is greatly enhanced by our sportswomen and men and by the countless volunteers who have passed on their love of the game to future generations.
You, our leading Irish sportswomen, will push open the gates to sport for more young women. You inspire future generations of girls to benefit from being more physically strong, mentally healthy, and, most important of all, equal.
You are the female role models that our young women of today and subsequent generations will want to emulate.
To the coaches, families, partners, administrators, officials and supporters, I thank you for everything you have worked to achieve, the long hours, the training sessions, the willing on, the guidance, the sacrifices you had to make to be there for the team, not to mention the heart-stopping moments, that your relatives and the wider public endured during the competitions themselves!
Comhghairdeas libh go léir arís. Go raibh míle maith agaibh
