An event hosted by Drogheda Implementation Board recently for local sports clubs and organisations was very well attended with 50 representatives of 32 clubs from 15 different sporting codes in attendance.
Opening the event, Minister for Sport and Physical activity Thomas Byrne TD shared insights into funding opportunities and urged the clubs in attendance to look at and avail of funding streams being administered by his Department, Sport Ireland and Local Sports Partnerships.
“The need for further development of sporting facilities in the Drogheda area is clearly and compellingly set out in the Drogheda Implementation Plan” he said. “It is therefore really important that Drogheda gets its fair share of this Government investment.
“I and my Department are happy to engage with clubs in relation to this and I also encourage groups to keep in touch with agencies such as Louth and Meath Sports Partnership so that they can stay aware of the funding opportunities that may be open to them.
“I commend Drogheda Implementation Board for recognising the value of sports to community and individual wellbeing and for bringing you all together today to get your insights into what we have, what we need and what we can do to improve sporting opportunities in Drogheda and East Meath.”
An interview with Davy Fitzgerald, who has strong contacts with Drogheda having mentored the Nugent Family of the Newtown Blues to win Ireland’s Fittest Family, followed the Minister’s address.
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Maverick Mentor’ Davy shared insights from his career as a GAA Manager, his experience mentoring 18-24 year olds who have faced unimaginable adversity in their lives, and his own life experience with attendees.
There is no such thing as a free lunch and those in attendance were taken through an interactive session ably facilitated by Mattie Rice, who has strong connections in both soccer and GAA locally, and Martin Kelly, a previous Chair of the Wolfe Tones GFC.
There was huge positivity and enthusiasm from those in the room as they got stuck into looking at specific questions such as how sporting clubs can collaborate better and learn from one another.
Many in attendance said it was unusual to have the opportunity to link up with clubs from different sporting codes and the great sense of sporting cooperation in the room.
The Drogheda Implementation Board team are preparing a report into the event and the ideas generated from it. Clubs will then be invited to work together with the support of the Board to move some of those project ideas forward. Clubs who were unable to attend the event are welcome to become part of this next phase and can indicate their interest by emailing implementationboard@lmetb.ie.
Chair of Drogheda Implementation Board, Michael Keogh, said it was
fantastic to see so many sporting representatives, all of them volunteers, showing such enthusiasm for working together to improve opportunities for everyone in Drogheda.
“I look forward to seeing how some of the great ideas generated today can be progressed in the coming months”.
