A unique coaching initiative is hoping to spread the word of the GAA in communities not normally associated with the association.
The programme, which will be undertaken by Letterkenny’s St Eunan’s, hopes to employ four coaches to work with children from non-traditional GAA backgrounds in an area from Cresslough to Newtowncunningham.
The club have been enabled to start the programme thanks to funding from Donegal County Development Board’s Peace and Reconciliation Partnership.
The coaches will go to schools and clubs to encourage young people who have never tried playing Gaelic games to get involved.
Funded under the PEACE III Programme, it will also host workshops in areas of culture, nutrition and community building topics. Further details on the work of the programme are available on www.donegalcdb.ie/peaceiii
Speaking at the announcement JoAnne Kilmartin, Project Development Officer with the Peace and Reconciliation Partnership said they were delighted to support this initiative.
“It is great to see young people from all parts of our community coming together through sport. We look forward to seeing more and more people from different backgrounds getting involved in sport,” said Ms Kilmartin.
The initiative is set to start in August with 4 coaches being appointed for a period of 11 months. They will work with schools and clubs in the catchment area serving the secondary schools in Letterkenny.
This means that schools in Cresslough, Termon, Glenswilly and Newtowncunningham can benefit from the coaching programme at no cost. This will encourage young people to try football or hurling and see if it is for them.
Club Chairman Paul Carr commented ‘I have been involved in sport since I was a child and see the huge benefit it has brought to me personally and to our local community.
“This programme will allow us to get more people involved and to challenge the traditional thinking that GAA is for some people only. I am really excited about the courses that will be run and confident that it will make a real difference for individual children and also achieve a more integrated society’.
Further details of this initiative can be seen on the website www.steunansgaa.com.
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