3,500 children will be descending on Carlow this August as they take part in Aldi Community Games’ National Festivals over 2 weekends. Launching the events at the stunning Delta Sensory Gardens, Carlow was former Community Games participant Olympian Marcus Lawler alongside current Community Games participants Chloe Ryan (Discus & Model-making), Cormac Nolan (Music & Long Puck) and Anna Byrne (Skittles & Art). Speaking at the event Marcus Lawler commented: “I have very fond memories of taking part in Community Games when I was younger and it’s inspiring to see volunteers continuing to put in so much time and effort when time is at a premium, making sure that taking part in Aldi Community Games is a fun and inclusive experience for every child. Fintan Phelan, Mayor of Carlow added: “Community Games is a fantastic organisation that provide young people with an opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities, from sporting events to the arts, Community Games has something for everyone. In Carlow we have a rich Community Games history and thousands of children participate annually. We are delighted to be able to host the Community Games National Finals in August and I look forward to welcoming competitors, volunteers and their families to Carlow.” The first of the events is the National Athletics Track and Field Finals in SETU Carlow Sports Campus on 13th August where children aged six to sixteen from all over Ireland will take part in 28 different Track Events and 14 Field Events. This is a major achievement for these children and a day of celebration for them, their Areas, their coaches and their friends and families - no matter the outcome. These children first took part in their local Area Finals, they then went to the County Finals, progressing on to the Regional Finals (for Track) and culminating in the National Finals. The second event is the Aldi Community Games Arts and Cultural Weekend from 27th to 28th August. This will be a colourful and lively occasion and is a celebration of culture and creativity. The children involved will be taking part in Finals in Art, Handwriting, Model-making, Dance, Drama, Chess etc. Gerry McGuinness, President of Aldi Community Games commented: “There is something for everyone at this year’s Arts and Cultural Weekend and we’ve gone to great lengths to ensure that these will be family-oriented days out with lots of magical and fun elements including: Stilt walkers, Magic Acts, Face-painting, Giant Board Games etc. As always, the children are the main stars and we will be displaying over 200 works of Art as painted/drawn by the children that same weekend in Ireland’s premier modern Art Gallery – VISUAL Carlow. Any member of the public can come along on the 27th and 28th August to experience some of the fun and action.” Jane Walsh, PR and Marketing Director added: “We're back to what we do best and are looking forward to a summer of fun, entertainment, friendly competition and maybe even a little sunshine with friends old and new!"
David Hoysted, Chief Executive commented: “It’s a very exciting time for children and volunteers alike as we get back in the Games and we’re looking forward to an action-packed and fun-filled August in Carlow.” To find out more visit www.communitygames.ie
1 Comment
In 2021, Sport Ireland announed a Resilience Fund to support the National Governing Bodies of Sport and other Sport Ireland Funded Bodies See below the list of Community Games Counties who applied for funding and the funding they were allocated based on the following critiera: Verifiable Information, Merit, Public Health Objective, County Weighting
Our National Programme of Events can all be found by visiting our Events Page but we've also prepared a handy document that you can save and print for your own Area and County so you can see at a glance what's on our programme for 2022 (panel details, age groups etc). You can view it below or Click HERE to download it as a pdf. We are delighted to offer you the opportunity to take part free of charge in one of two pilot Coaching Children Courses. These courses are certified by Sport Ireland and Community Games. There is a maximum of 30 places on each course and the places will be offered on a first come, first served basis (see registration form here)
All too often, programmes offered to children in sport are scaled down versions of adult activity without regard for the different needs of children. Children want different things from their sport participation and require different approaches given their stage of development both physically and mentally. The Coaching Children Programme aims to equip coaches with specific knowledge, skills and competencies to cater for the needs of children. Creating good coaching children practices at an early stage will result in a higher proportion of children gaining both movement skills and love of activity that we hope will remain with them in to their teenage and adult years. These courses will be via a hybrid model of learning - Workshops 1 and 2 will be delivered online over a series of 3 evenings and Workshops 3 and 4 will be full days (Saturday) in either Ballinasloe or Cork. For more details visit our Volunteer Training Page Community Games launched its 2022 to 2024 Strategic Plan in the grounds of Visual Carlow on Sunday 13th March. A fitting location considering Visual Carlow and St Patrick’s College Carlow will play host to Aldi Community Games Arts and Cultural Weekend from 26th to 28th August 2022 where over 1,500 children will be painting, drawing, singing, dancing and much more as they represent their counties.
Gerry McGuinness, President of Aldi Community Games commented: “It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the Board and our Strategic Planning Group, to present our 2022 to 2024 Strategic Plan. Organisations such as our own, which provide sporting and cultural opportunities to children in Ireland, have become even more important to society post COVID-19 and the necessity to have a clear, realistic, and executable strategic plan to continue to do what we do has never been more important. This robust strategic plan, will ensure the sustainability and growth of our organisation and is the culmination of an extensive and far-reaching process of consultation and engagement throughout 2021. Guided by Senan Turnball, an independent consultant, this process included several surveys, online workshops and face to face focus groups (when feasible). We sought input from all members of our organisation and I was delighted to see such a high level of commitment and indeed lively debate! In addition, we consulted with key stakeholders including our main sponsors and Sport Ireland. All of this very valuable feedback was carefully collated and helped form this Strategic Plan. The five pillars, which form the mainstay of our plan, will place a particular emphasis on volunteer support and training and development and I, along with my fellow Committee Members, believe that supporting our volunteers at every level will help Community Games continue to thrive and be an essential part of Irish society by being a source of fun, sport and culture for every child in Ireland for years to come.” David Hoysted, Chief Executive added: “I am delighted with the release of Community Games Strategic Plan 2022-2024, which provides a roadmap for the short to medium term future of Community Games. I look forward to working with the Board, Staff and Volunteers to implement this plan across all its pillars within Community Games. I am thankful to the Strategic Planning Group for their unfailing commitment to engage with all our members to ensure that we asked the right questions and that every voice was heard, resulting in an ambitious yet feasible living document that addresses the needs of our organisation. The implementation of this plan will ensure that Community Games not only stays relevant but continues to grow and develop, while as allows, staying true to our mission.” Aldi Community Games celebrates Women in Sport week by launching their toolkits for young girls in sport On the 11th of March 2022 Aldi Community Games launched their Women in Sport toolkit for young girls in sport at John O’Sullivan Athletics Track, Ennis, Co. Clare. This unique toolkit was developed with teenage girls and their coaches in mind after a series of very successful #ownit workshops run by Community Games in conjunction with Move2b. The kits are proudly sponsored by Aldi Ireland. Community Games announced today that each coach or parent who attended the series will receive a starter toolkit with the necessary items for teenage girls, such as sanitary pads, tampons, hygiene products and informational leaflets. These kits will be used to support coaches of teams, individual sports in encouraging young girls to continue to join in sporting activities during a menstrual cycle. It is a simple yet effective way to help retain girls in sport and remove the stigma of the menstrual cycle in sport. Orna and Niamh Murray - founders of Move2b said: "We loved the opportunity to partner with Aldi Community Games in their innovative series of #ownit workshops. Our goal at Move2B is for teenage girls (and their coaches) to have enough resources and evidence-based information to help them work with their bodies and discover their athletic and personal potential." We’re grateful that the coaches who attended the #ownit series of workshops will receive this kit sponsored by Aldi with menstrual cycle products such as pads and tampons so that girls can get active and stay active, any time of the month." Fiona Shannon, Recruitment Training and Development Director, Aldi Community Games commented: “We are pleased that Aldi recognises the need for supporting Women in Sport. I would like to thank Aldi for sponsoring the toolkits and thank the Orna and Niamh Murray the founders of Move2B for their creative ideas and workshops. Their advice and knowledge is invaluable and I hope that our coaches around the country can benefit from this initiative. As an organisation, we are striving to ensure that women are visible and heard at all stages within our structure. Our aim is to distil to every member the availability and content of existing research and tools as well as deliver training in the sector." Lianda d’Auria - Community Games volunteer said: “As a parent of a daughter who is very interested in sport, Aldi Community Games has made me realise the great benefits that the games offer young girls for their sporting, educational and own personal well-being. Aldi Community Games has a large variety of exciting events and competitions that cater for all girls from 6 years old to 16 and I feel that their new promotional initiative for teenage girls will be of great benefit to all those that take part this year.” We are delighted to announce our increased programme for 2022! Some major changes: 4 children from each County can take part (4 girls and 4 boys) in our Regional Athletics Track Finals. 1st; 2nd, 3rd and 4th place winners of our Regional Athletics Track Finals will take part in our National Finals. 2 children from each County can take part in each Field Event (2 girls and 2 boys) at our National Finals. Field events go straight to National. NB: Relay Events go straight to National (no Regional Finals) The programme will deliver in excess of 6,000 participants to our National Events which will more than match other large scale Festivals this year. To get in touch with your County Secretary to see what events are available in your Area - please visit this page To find out more about the Events that we are offering for 2022 (including Rules and Age Groups) click here or take a look below!
Community Games EGM took place on Saturday 4th December via Zoom with the unanimous passing of a special resolution to allow our constitution to be amended. The members also voted unanimously to approve the new Strategic Plan which will be launched in early 2022.
Gerry McGuinness, President commented "I'm delighted that our membership voted unanimously on these very important changes for Community Games as we continue to modernise and revamp our oganisation. The biggest changes are the reduction of Board size to a maximum of 14 members consisting of 12 elected members and 2 independent members appointed by the Board and the introduction of term limits for elected members. I'm extremely honoured today that the organisation is 100% on board with the direction we are going in and I look forward to the future of Community Games as we continue to grow and adapt." Shirley Maloney, Company Secretary stated. "The confidence that the organisation has shown in a unanimous vote in both our special resolution and new Strategic Plan shows us, as a Board, that we are on the right path. I very much look forward to the future of Community Games and the reinforcement of our core values where children and community are at the centre of all that we do." David Hoysted, Chief Executive commented "Our organisation has shown tremendous resilience and fortitude over the last couple of years and I'm delighted that all our delegates voted to implement our new Strategic Plan and amend our constitution. We used a 360 feedback approach to ensure that all voices from all our stakeholders were heard and had input into the new Strategic Plan. We now look forward to its implementation over the next 3 years." Community Games volunteer, Nicola Lalor (Shinrone-Coolderry Community Games) will receive nationwide recognition next week for her dedication to sport, as she has been awarded the Offaly award for the 2021 Federation of Irish Sport Volunteers in Sport Awards, proudly supported by EBS. The awards will take place virtually on December 7th, 8th and 9th and will see Nicola, along with volunteers from across the country, honoured for their amazing dedication to volunteering across a variety of different sports. Nicola has dedicated 27 years to the Community Games in her area. She has introduced children from across the Shinrone and Coolderry areas to a host of different sports and activities that they can take part in other than the traditional sports. Throughout her time, she has ensured every single child has been offered equal opportunity to engage in the various sports and cultural activities with emphasis placed on the importance of sportsmanship, enjoyment, confidence, developing friendships and creating lasting memories. Nicola dedicates hours of her time into being a teacher, trainer, mentor, costumes and wardrobe organiser and - especially during the last 18 months - an IT expert, to ensure the Community Games experience is a fun and enjoyable one for all involved. The Volunteers in Sport Awards celebrate the contributions of the band of volunteers across the country who give their time to Irish sport and physical activity every year. This equates to approximately 37.3 million hours of volunteering across Ireland’s 13,000 registered sports clubs and associations and, according to Sport Ireland's 2021 'Researching the Value of Sport in Ireland' report, is worth an estimated €1.5bn to the exchequer. Throughout September and October members of the public, sports clubs and governing bodies were invited to nominate an individual whose contribution to sport and physical activity in Ireland has made a real difference to their community, club or county. The nominations and award recipients were selected by a judging panel consisting of 12 individuals drawn from sports administration, the volunteer community and media, and included former Director General of the GAA, Paraic Duffy, RTÉ broadcaster, Marie Crowe and CEO of Gaisce, Yvonne McKenna. In addition to the 32 county-level award winners, Amina Moustafa, a volunteer across many different sports including football, basketball and swimming, received the overall Outstanding Achievement Award for her incredible service to the promotion of sport amongst women of diverse ethnic backgrounds, as well as her continued support of Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI). Máire Allen and Jacqueline McCormack have also received a Special Recognition Award for their amazing work with Roscommon Special Olympics Club. They have dedicated their time tirelessly over the last number of years and more recently, in the face of the challenging circumstances caused by Covid-19, did everything to ensure the club’s members remained fit and active throughout the various lockdowns. Pádraic Kearney (RIP) has been honoured with a Special Recognition Award for his commitment to Gaelic Games in Adare GAA Club (Limerick). Pádraic was incredibly committed to his community, with his volunteerism going far beyond sport. His untimely passing earlier this year has been felt by everyone in the club, especially the younger members, who Pádraic coached for many years. Commenting on the awards, Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers, TD, said: “It is an honour for me to support this year’s Volunteers in Sport Awards and help recognise so many fantastic volunteers in our community. These awards have a special place in the sporting calendar as they recognise those who have given an incredible amount of time throughout the year who have ensured that sport can takes place in our communities, and they do so without the expectation of gratitude or reward. The amount of hard work and dedication that these volunteers give to sport in Ireland is quite truly astonishing and I am privileged to support both the volunteers and these awards. I would also like to thank the Federation of Irish Sport and EBS, and all who will help make these virtual ceremonies a memorable occasion for all.” Speaking about the awards, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, Mary O’Connor said: “Despite another very challenging year for sport, we have once again seen how important volunteering has been to communities across Ireland. We have an enormous amount of gratitude for the army of volunteers who have ensured that sport could take place in a safe and controlled manner. Whether it be on pitches, courts, tracks, pools or even community halls across the country, the volunteers are always there to make sure sport and physical activity continues to take place around Ireland. It gives me immense pride to be able to recognise so many of these volunteers at next week’s virtual Volunteers in Sport Awards and I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to all of this year’s recipients. I would like to also thank EBS for their continued support in bringing wider recognition of volunteers in sport in Ireland to life. I would also like to express my gratitude to Minister Jack Chambers who will be taking the time out of his schedule to attend our virtual ceremonies next week and helping us to champion and celebrate the recipients.” Managing Director of EBS, Paul Butler, commented: “EBS is delighted to partner with the Federation of Irish Sport once more to honour and recognise the everyday heroes around Ireland who make sure sport happens every day. EBS has been involved in local communities around Ireland for over 80 years and we are delighted to showcase the tremendous work these volunteers do for sport throughout their communities. These volunteers truly are the backbone of Irish sport, and we are proud to support them. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the recipients of the 2021 Volunteers in Sports Awards and thank them for all of the tireless work they do to ensure sport in Ireland continues to flourish.” The awards will be streamed live each evening from 7pm on the Federation of Irish Sport’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/federationofirishsport/ with the awards schedule listed below:
For more information on the awards, visit http://www.volunteersinsport.ie/ Full list of winners for the 2021 Federation of Irish Sport Volunteer in Sport awards proudly supported by EBS:
Antrim Frank Stevens Swimming Leander ASC Armagh James Daly GAA Silverbridge GFC Carlow Vinnie Homan Basketball Carlow Basketball Club Cavan Sean Smith GAA Crosserlough GFC Clare Deirdre Coleman Athletics Derg AC Cork Marie Clancy Camogie St. Catherines GAA & Camogie Club Derry Geoffrey Bones Rowing Bann Rowing Club Donegal Frank McGhee GAA CLG Ard an Ratha Down Donna Mullan Camogie Darragh Cross Dublin Julie Conroy Baton Twirling Northern Star Twirlers Fermanagh Stephen Hetherington Rugby Clogher Valley RFC Galway (Joint winners) Katie Coughlan Evelyn Burke Basketball Titans Basketball Club Kerry Anne Scanlon Basketball St. Joseph’s Basketball Club Kildare Dilys Lindsay Horse Riding (RDAI) Riding for the Disabled Association of Ireland (RDAI) Kilkenny May Hutt Athletics Kilkenny City Harriers A.C. Laois Maggie Murphy Ladies Gaelic Football Timahoe Ladies Football Club Leitrim Eamonn McGowan GAA Allen Gaels Limerick Denis Martin GAA Staker Wallace GAA Longford Liam Forde Ladies Football St Helens Ladies GFC Louth Peter Callan GAA Naomh Fionnbarra & St. Anne's GFG Mayo Peter Mullen Boxing St Anne's Boxing Club Meath Brian Matthews Soccer Balrath Girls & Boys Football Club Monaghan Brendan Lillis Gymnastics Border Bounce Gymnastics Club Offaly Nicola Lalor Community Games Shinrone Coolderry Community Games Roscommon Joe Moore GAA St. Aidan's GAA Sligo Veronica Hunter Surf Lifesaving Sligo Surf Lifesaving Club Tipperary Pat Hennessey GAA Toomevara GAA Club Tyrone Damian Mór Ó Néill GAA Hurling Naomh Colum Cille Waterford Tricia McCarthy Camogie Cappoquin Camogie Club Westmeath Karen Goldrick Camogie Ringtown Camogie Club Wexford Pat Furlong Para Athletics IWA Sport Wicklow Ed Randolph Basketball Dublin Raiders Basketball Club Outstanding Achievement Award Amina Moustafa Multi Sports Diverse City FC Club Special Recognition Award Pádraic Kearney (RIP) GAA Adare GAA Team Recognition Award Jacqueline McCormack Máire Allen Special Olympics Roscommon Special Olympics Club The last of our "Physical Events" for 2021 took place this weekend with Swimming in UL and Mixed Distance Relay and Cross Country in Navan. While there were medals galore, it was all about participation, so well done to all the children who took part in all events and a huge thanks for making the effort on a cold wintry day to be part of the action! Sincere thanks to Brendan Hyland (Olympian) for visiting UL to chat with and cheer on all the children! Swimming ResultsCross Country and Mixed Distance Relay Results
|
Email usWe'd love to hear from you! Email us here with any stories you'd like featured Archives
April 2024
Categories |