Sep 19, 2013
Irish Open Korean Ambassadors Cup – Dublin 2013
LOCATION: Tallaght Arena
DATE: 08/09/2013
PARTICIPATING TEAMS/ATHLETES: Athletes from Dublin, Wexford, Kerry, Louth, Meath, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Laois, Northern Ireland and Netherlands.
HOST: Irish Taekwondo Union (ITU)
ABOUT ITU: The ITU is the sole body responsible for the promotion and development of World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) Olympic style, Taekwondo within Ireland. The WTF are the largest and most innovative Taekwondo body in the world and has over 80 million registered members in 191 countries. Most recently, the exploits of the WTF have succeeded in securing Olympic recognition for the sport of Taekwondo.
EVENT HISTORY: This is the inaugural Irish Open.
EVENT PREPARATION: The event has been in planning for at least 6 months with the Korean Embassy co-ordinating the visit of the Kukkiwon demonstration Team
THE EVENT:
Venue
The Arena ,Tallaght
Spectators/Attendees
There were at least 600 spectators on the day
Volunteers
The event was staffed by a crew of 30 volunteers
How was the event structured?
he Irish Open was organisedin the same way as an international competition ,we ran 3 rings each using the latest PSS electronic scoring equipment as used in the Olympic games and the world championships. The competition was an elimination style event with the winner progressing to the next round. At half time we had the prestigious Korean Kukkiwon Demonstration team who had flown in specially for the event.
Where next for the Irish Team?
The ITU are sending two athletes to the Junior European Championships in Portugal and after that we are preparing for A class tournaments in 2014 as well as qualification tournaments for the 2016 Olympics
How the event went, Martin Fleming, President, ITU:
The event was a fantastic success and a great spectacle. There were some top class fights on the day from National team members and newcomers all under the watchful eyes of top international referees . The presence of the Kukkiwon Demonstration team ,who had travelled from Korea for the event ,was a huge bonus. The team received a standing ovation for their breathtaking performance of taekwondo including some staggering breaking techniques. The 2013 Irish Open Korean Ambassadors cup is a showcase event for the ITU and indicates how far the sport and our organisation have come in the last few years.
For more information see:
Website: www.taekwondoireland.ie
Twitter: @irishtaekwondo
Facebook: facebook.com/irishtaekwondounion
Aug 29, 2013
Offaly County Council (on behalf of Offaly Sports Partnership) invites applications for the position of:
Position of Part-time Sports Inclusion Development Officer
1 YEAR FIXED TERM CONTRACT – 3 day week
Salary: €24,127.8 – €29,097 per annum
Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons. Application forms together with qualifications and particulars of post are available from the Human Resources Section, Offaly County Council, Áras an Chontae, Charleville Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly or they may be downloaded from our website www.offaly.ie/jobs
Completed applications should be lodged with the Senior Executive Officer, Human Resources not later than 3.00 p.m. on Thursday 12th September 2013.
Applications may be shortlisted by reason of the number of persons seeking admission to the competition on the basis of qualifications, relevant experience and information submitted.
Offaly County Council is an equal opportunities employer.
Ann Dillon
Senior Executive Officer
Human Resources
Aug 26, 2013
AFL Europe Championship – Dublin 2013
Location:
DCU Sports Ground
DATE:
3rd to 10th August 2013
PARTICIPATING TEAMS/ATHLETES:
National teams representing Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and Sweden
Host:
Australian Rules Football League Of Ireland(ARFLI)
About ARFLI:
The Australian Rules Football League Of Ireland was founded in 2000 to administer the sport of Aussie Rules on the Island of Ireland and have been at the forefront of the sport internationally since foundation.
EVENT HISTORY:
The first AFL Europe Championship was held in the Oresund region of Denmark and Sweden, with matches held in Copenhagen, Farum and Malmo. Ireland’s national team won the championship, coming from behind to beat Denmark in the final.
EVENT PREPARATION:
ARFLI bid to host the event in November 2010 and were awarded hosting rights shortly afterwards having held a tender process among Irish Universities for facilities provision. Following that process DCU was selected and submitted as the facilities provider during the bid process.
Once the championship was awarded an organising committee was formed by ARFLI and corporate and state support was sought, with Fáilte Ireland become the main partner, The Score.ie becoming the main media partner, Uniphar providing medical support, Livestream Digital/Asgard Media as production partners and AerTV Sports as a broadcasting partner and the Australian Embassy as an awards partner. Several months before the championship commenced, the staff of DCU Sport began planning the facilities provision for the event and ultimately Ireland’s first full size football oval, dressing rooms for all teams, medical facilities, tournament headquarters and lecture facilities were delivered. A tournament website www.dublin2013.org <http://www.dublin2013.org> went live in September 2012, with all design and branding elements provided by Internationally renowned sports branders Lockerroom 51.
THE EVENT:
Venue
DCU Sport couldn’t have been more helpful, from their administration to ground staff. They were, from the outset in a position to provide two tournament ovals and warm up areas if required and the surface of the oval earned widespread praise as the best ever provided for an event in Europe.
Spectators/Attendees
More than a thousand people attended the four match days, with close to 400 in attendance for the final day’s play. There were also more than 160 participants in the event itself.
Volunteers
A number of volunteers were provided from within the league’s membership base and also from that of the Ireland Australia Association.
How was the event structured?
The six teams were drawn in two groups of three according to performance at the previous event in 2010, with each team playing against the other teams in their pool and one crossover match against the equal seed in the opposite group. These matches took place on Saturday 3rd, Tuesday 6th and Thursday 8th. Following the group stages, the winners of each group met in the Grand Final on Saturday August 10th, that being Ireland and Great Britain. Denmark and Sweden played off for third, while Croatia and Germany played off for fifth. Ireland came from behind to win the Grand Final with the very last kick of the game, a goal which can be seen here http://youtu.be/b5pz4jNs3OM
Where next for the Irish Team?
The Irish Team will now turn their attention to defending the sport’s World Championship, the AFL International Cup in Melbourne next August and look to extend a competitive unbeaten run, which stretches back to 2008. Those interested in taking up the sport can find details at www.arfli.com <http://www.arfli.com> . For ARFLI the next major challenge is the development of a permanent full size oval in Ireland which can be utilised by our clubs and national teams.
How the event went, Cian Quigley, President, ARFLI:
Following years of planning and months of preparation, the event was a massive success. All of the visiting teams enjoyed the experience, our sport received media attention which was a multitude greater than anything else we’ve ever received and our team continued their winning ways, but significantly in front of friends and family who would rarely have had the chance to support the team.
Jul 31, 2013
IS SPECIFICALLY designed for National Governing Bodies (NGBs), sports clubs and individuals and was officially launched in December 2012 after an extensive tender process. The scheme has grown rapidly since then and already has over 30% of NGBs supporting the scheme which represents a great success.
All members of the Federation scheme have benefited from premium savings with an average of between 20-25% being achieved. The reason the savings can be achieved is because of the power of group purchasing and the continued success of the scheme is dependent on the continued support of the Federation’s members. After joining the scheme an NGB is no longer alone in the insurance market, they now have the backing of the entire scheme along with all the other scheme members. This greater purchasing power ensures competitive pricing, consistency of pricing security on claims as well as quality customer service.
Being part of the Federation of Irish Sport Insurance Scheme offers NGBs much more than security and premium savings alone. BHP INSURANCE, the broker for the scheme, offers each individual member tailor-made packages and ensures that the right covers are in place. Each member has a dedicated Account Handler who deals with all aspects of insurance from claims and mid-term adjustments, to presenting insurance workshops and attending relevant seminars.
The Insurance Scheme is not limited to NGBs as anew Club Scheme is currently being developed for sports clubs who will be able to avail of the benefits already received by their NGBs.
Read what our members have to say about the Federation of Irish Sport Insurance Scheme:
‘The Bowling league of Ireland were very impressed in the professional way that BHP Insurances approached our insurance needs. They managed to reduce our Insurance costs, and increase the amount of cover that we previously had. Our members were delighted with this reduction and our clubs around the country are in active talks with BHP Insurances for their own cover.’
-Brian C. Morton, Chairman of the Development & Strategic Planning Committee, and Treasurer, Bowling League of Ireland
‘We have been delighted with the service provided by BHP to date – we have generated impressive cost savings at NGB level and will shortly be rolling out an excellent club insurance offering to our member clubs; we have obtained excellent rates from BHP and have been impressed with the level of service provided.’
-Darren Coombes, Chief Operations Officer, Irish Table Tennis Association
‘Thanks to BHP Insurances appointment we have been able to institute cover for all of our members for the first time since our formation. The support of their team has meant that we were able to carry out a comprehensive audit of our insurance requirements and institute the type of indemnity we needed at a premium we could afford.’
-Cian Quigley, President, Australian Rules Football League of Ireland
“We in Irish Squash were very impressed with the service offered by BHP Insurance. That we achieved full cover at a significant discount is obviously a great benefit. Their professionalism and service was a great aid to us as a small NGB. Working together as NGB’s is also a great initiative and shows what can be achieved when NGB’s work together.”
-Paul Nugent, COO, Irish Squash
“We supported the Federation group scheme as we saw the benefit of being part of a bigger group of NGBs coming together to get a better deal on insurance.”
-Paul Ryder, Administrator, Deaf Sports 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
‘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
‘BHP Insurances have delivered significant savings for the ISA and have developed a club insurance scheme which we feel will have huge benefits for the ISA, its clubs and their members.’
-Harry Hermon, CEO, Irish Sailing Association
‘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
‘Switching to the Federation of Irish Sport Insurance scheme was better from a value for money perspective and delivered an improved level of insurance cover for our organisation.”
-Cillian Smith, Commissioner, Irish American Football Association
“Choosing insurance cover can be a nightmare. ACI sought advice from 4 independent brokers before choosing the FIS recommended BHP’s policy suite. It met all our requirements and offered unmatched value. Added to that, there is the comfort of the extra security for our members offered by being part of a larger group along with other sports.”
-Der Casey, Honorary Secretary, Angling Council of Ireland
Sports Bodies that have supported the Federation of Irish Sport Insurance Scheme so far are:
Angling Council of Ireland
Australian Rules Football League of Ireland
Bowling League of Ireland
Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland
Deaf Sports Ireland
Gymnastics Ireland
Horseshoe Pitchers Association of Ireland
Ice Skating Association of Ireland
Irish American Football Association
Irish Blind Sports
Irish Sailing Association
Irish Squash
Irish Surfing Association
Irish Table Tennis Association
Just Sport Ireland
Pentathlon Ireland
Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland
Raquetball Association of Ireland
Swim Ireland
The Federation of Irish Sport
Weightlifting Ireland
Jul 31, 2013
It has been quite the summer of sport for our near neighbours in Britain finally, breaking the Wimbledon hoodoo, another victory in Le Tour not to mention a 2-0 lead in the Ashes over the once invincible Aussies.
Not a bad summer of sport for our athletes either, Graeme McDowell & Michael Hoey winning tournaments, Dan Martin in the Tour, Irish representatives in the Lions, the cricketers securing World Cup qualification, 4 swimmers ranked in the top 20 in the World for the first time, 5 world Paralympic athletic medals and that is before the great performances to date in the football and hurling Championships are digested.
Interesting so that this week Sir Chris Hoy, when launching the ticketing programme for next year’s Commonwealth Games, felt it was important to highlight the need for investment in sport to continue. Emphasising the need to support future athletes, Hoy said that whilst money does not buy medals it does provide a platform for them.
Hoy warns against the complacency that success can bring stating that it is often the tournaments or events where things go badly that traditionally have provoked change or increased investment in sporting structures. The Irish Government too could do well to take note of Hoy’s thoughts particularly, as they look to make decisions in the next few weeks as part of the budgetary process on the level of investment in Irish Sport for 2014.
On one hand, Irish Sport has never had it so good. Increased consistency in performance on the international stage across a number of different sports coupled with improved numbers in those participating in sport. The Irish Sports Council’s 2011 monitor found that rates of participation amongst the Irish population had increased from 34% to 46%.
On the other hand there is much yet to be done, with EU research finding recently that Irish primary schools rank as the worst in Europe when it comes to the provision of PE. Irish secondary schools were only slightly better in fourth from bottom. Obesity too represents a growing challenge with 61% of Irish adults and over 300,000 children being either overweight or obese. Not to mention the on-going issue of getting the 13% of the population that are sedentary active.
Neither participation nor performance should be taken for granted. We are surrounded by sport. It would be easy to assume that it will always be there. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that almost all of Irish Sport is delivered by a volunteer workforce which is operating in an increasingly regulated environment. Standards have been raised and whilst, this is a positive development, it also highlights the reality that sport needs to be developed, managed, delivered and above all financed. Those working at grassroots need to be supported.
This year’s budget is crucial. The available government funding for sports bodies is already down 25% since 2008. Commercial revenue and in particular, sponsorship is difficult to obtain. Clubs and participants in sport are under financial pressure. Despite all of this sport has been one of the few things to sustain us over the last few years.
As well as contributing to improved public health, sustaining our communities or enhancing our reputation abroad, sport has that intangible ability to give us a bit of a lift. Sport has provided a different focus in the midst of our economic woes….….a forum in which just sometimes the impossible becomes possible. When it happens it is always worth the wait, just ask the Monaghan Gaelic football supporters!
€43.2 million was the amount made available to assist in the on-going development of Irish Sport in 2013 – that figure represents 0.0032% of the €13.6 billion spent on health, 0.0021% of the €20.246 billion spent on Social Protection and 0.0050% of the €8.5 billion spent on education, all Departments on which sport has a significant impact and in many cases has the potential to do even more.
There are many deserving causes in Ireland in 2013 but is €43 million really too difficult to find to assist in the safeguarding of sport? In addition to the reality that sport generates a return of €149 for every €100 invested, sport remains a force for good in our society which reaches into virtually every community in Ireland through its network of 12,000 clubs across 70 plus sports. There are few activities that reach such a significant proportion of Ireland’s population.
2.1 million Irish people actively participate in sport, enabled by a volunteer workforce of over 500,000 and supported and enjoyed by many more both home and abroad. Protecting this funding is not simply an investment in the present but also a foundation stone for the creation of a better Ireland in the future.
For those who would like to know more about just what sport delivers to Ireland, please click on the ‘Why Irish Sport Matters’ infographic
Read Chris Hoy article here
Jul 24, 2013
Waterford Sports Partnership was established in 2002
by the Irish Sports Council as part of the national network of Local Sports
Partnerships, to co-ordinate and promote the development of sport at
local level. Our main aim is to increase participation in sport and physical
activity especially amongst specific target groups and to ensure that local
resources are used to the best effect. Read More here
