Nuachtlitirnollaig 2020
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Football Hurling Club General DECAMBER 2020 NUACHTLITIRNOLLAIG 2020 FOR NEWS, VIDEOS AND FIXTURES www.gaa.ie Football Hurling Club General 30 mins of physical activity each day during the dark winter months. At Healthy Ireland we are encouraging everyone to make a plan for themselves to keep well this winter and one of the easiest ways to do that is by getting out and getting active in the fresh air as often as you can. I congratulate the GAA and Get Ireland walking for their work on making this initiative possible this winter within the Covid guidance.” Clubs that complete the registration process for ‘Ireland Lights Up’ and adhere to the necessary criteria will be covered by Get Ireland Walking’s insurance for all walk leaders and participants. However, irrespective of GAA membership status, GAA CLUBS ENCOURAGED TO REGISTER leaders and participants are not covered by the GAA Injury Benefit Fund for this initiative. All clubs that register will be FOR ‘IRELAND LIGHTS UP’ 2021 issued details of how to apply for the once-off Healthy Ireland / Sport Ireland grant (max €1,000 per club) to support the costs ‘IRELAND LIGHTS UP’, THE POPULAR the level of Covid-19 restrictions we Uachtarán CLG, John Horan, said: “GAA of delivering the initiative. WALKING INITIATIVE, IS RETURNING will face in the new year, the organisers volunteers have gone above and beyond IN JANUARY 2021 IN PARTNERSHIP of ‘Ireland Lights Up’ and the clubs when supporting their communities during To register your club and review the full WITH THE GAA, OPERATION involved will take every due diligence to this pandemic and I have no doubt our Terms & Conditions of participation, go to: TRANSFORMATION, AND GET IRELAND ensure those who want to enjoy a walk clubs will once again support this great https://www.getirelandwalking.ie/ WALKING. at their local GAA grounds can do so walking initiative come the new year. irelandlightsup/ safely and within recommended public For a fourth year, clubs across the 32 health guidelines. Measures include: “Club walking tracks remained open In addition to ‘Ireland Lights Up’, the counties are being encouraged to turn on during the second lockdown period and GAA’s Community & Health department their floodlights to provide for community · Registration process with Get Ireland thousands of community members have will deliver with Irish Life a club ‘Steps members a safe walking environment Walking to track all club and participant benefitted from accessing them. Ireland Challenge’ hosted on the Irish Life MyLife during the dark winter evenings. As ever, involvement Lights Up isn’t about maximising numbers App. During the initial lockdown in June, Operation Transformation (which returns this time around, it’s about providing 12,000 walkers representing almost 450 to our screens each Wednesday from community members, particularly those · A new club ‘MyLife Steps Challenge’ clubs recorded 2.2 billion steps over the January 6th to February 24th) will shine a most vulnerable to Covid-19, with a safe four weeks on the MyLife App. Regardless light on Ireland Lights Up by showcasing with Irish Life, CSR partners of the GAA place to enjoy some outdoor exercise while of participation in ‘Ireland Lights Up’, all participating clubs each week of the hit Healthy Club Project, to ensure ‘Every adhering to the public health guidelines.” GAA clubs can get involved in the Steps RTÉ show. Step Counts’ Challenge and a separate communication Speaking about the initiative Frank will be issued this week to clubs outlining ‘Ireland Lights Up’ will take on an · Once-off grant for clubs to support Feighan T.D. Minister of State for Public how to get involved. Some great prizes will additional significance in 2021 as people Health and Wellbeing said: “This is a apply. have increasingly turned to walking to the cost of delivering Ireland Lights Up wonderful initiative that helps everyone (provided by Healthy Ireland through support their health and wellbeing since up and down the country to get out safely, Please direct any club queries to blanaid. the onset of the pandemic. While we can’t Sport Ireland, T&Cs apply) be active and to reach their recommended predict [email protected] Football Hurling Club General 45 CLUBS TO TAKE PART IN PHASE 1 OF GAA GREEN CLUB PROGRAMME THE GAA GREEN CLUB PROGRAMME the programme, namely: Energy, Waste, responded earlier this year to a Development Goals. This initiative plays WILL SEE 45 CLUBS AND TWO REGIONAL Biodiversity, Water, Travel & Transport. questionnaire designed to gauge interest to the GAA’s strengths; by acting locally VENUES EXPLORE A RANGE OF in developing a Green Club initiative. to tackle a global issue it will contribute SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS DESIGNED The all-Ireland nature of the initiative The responses highlighted a wealth to a reduction in CO2 emissions and build TO ENRICH THEIR PHYSICAL AND was reflected in the contribution to the of sustainability work already being awareness of the challenges we face in SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS. online launch event by Eamon Ryan, undertaken by GAA units and a desire to dealing with climate change.” Minister for the Environment, Climate further contribute to the green agenda The GAA Green Club Programme, and Communications in the Republic while future-proofing their communities Minister Edwin Poots, MLA, also supported by the County & City and representatives of Northern Ireland and facilities. commented on the launch and said: Management Association and the local Executive’s Department of Agriculture, “When it comes to the environment it authority Climate Action Regional Offices, Environment, and Rural Affairs. Phase One will run for twelve months is only by working together that we can is delivered in partnership with the LGFA from December 2020 with the intention create the behavioural change that is and Camogie Association, with additional The Green Club Phase One participants of amassing as much practical learnings necessary to manage our climate change support from expert agencies across the were selected from 220 clubs that from the participating clubs and venues and environmental risks. The GAA’s five five thematic focus areas of as possible. This will inform the creation thematic areas of energy, waste, water, of a GAA Green Clubs toolkit that will be biodiversity and transport, align well with made available to all GAA units in Ireland my Department’s Green Growth objectives. (1,600 clubs, plus county and provincial The challenge I am setting is for Northern venues), replete with useful case studies, Ireland to use Green Growth to change established partnership models, and behaviours and to turn climate change funding avenues. from an economic threat into an economic and environmental opportunity. GAA President, John Horan, said: “The Green Clubs Project further demonstrates “I believe the Green Clubs initiative that at its core the GAA is a community- has the potential to be a real catalyst based organisation grounded in place. The for change, harnessing the energy and project seeks to support our hard-working enthusiasm of not just the young players volunteers in future-proofing their on the pitch. It draws in the club officials, club facilities while contributing to the their supporters their families and their sustainability of their community from an communities. I hope my Department will environmental and cultural perspective. It be able to continue to explore with the also demonstrates the GAA’s commitment GAA those areas where we can guide and as an official SDG Champion of the Irish support their activities.” government.” Attendees of the online launch on Minister Eamon Ryan, TD, said: “I am Wednesday evening heard Padraig Fallon delighted to support the GAA Green of the Clan na Gael club in Dundalk Clubs initiative which will see practical outline a recent energy saving project Pictured at Croke Park, on the occasion earlier this year when the GAA and local authorities pledged to work together as sustainable solutions to tackle climate the club undertook with significant SDG champions of the Irish government, are: LGFA CEO Helen O’Rourke, Chairman of CCMA Michael Walsh, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael John Horan, Chairman of Local Authority Climate Change Steering Group Ciarán Hayes, change implemented by clubs all over outcomes. The project involved major Camogie Operations Manager Alan Malone, DCCAE Katie Aherne, and former Wexford hurler Diarmuid Lyng. Ireland. The GAA has been a valuable insulation, ventilation, and maintenance partner in championing the Sustainable works, including switching to LED bulbs Football Hurling Club General throughout their campus, and has resulted An All-Island Approach in annual energy and maintenance savings of €10,000, vastly improved lighting on The Green Clubs Programme is an all- their playing pitches while achieving an island programme. In addition to the local annual reduction in CO2 emissions of 30 authorities in the 26 counties, the Green tonnes. Club Working Group is collaborating with Derry City & Strabane District Council, The club submitted an SEAI grant Sustainable NI, Ulster GAA and the application through Louth Co. Co./Louth Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Energy Sustainable Energy Community, the planning and administration of the receiving 50% funding for the project. The Green Club pilot in the six-counties, to club contributed the remaining balance include a cross-border project that will through a seven-year loan paid by savings be consistent with the objectives and on their reduced energy spend. approach of the multi-agency North West Climate Action Plan, currently under Clan na Gael is one of three mentoring development. clubs selected, due to their significant existing work and plans in the field of List of participating clubs: sustainability, to participate in Phase One of the Green Club Programme, along with The following clubs and grounds are Mullingar Shamrocks, Westmeath, and participating in Phase One of the GAA’s Culloville Blues, Armagh.