Drogheda United have announced a new collaboration with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, bringing together two of the town’s biggest institutions to promote health, well-being, and community spirit.
The partnership will focus on joint initiatives around injury prevention, fitness, mental health awareness, and wider community health campaigns. Plans include collaborations on charity matches, health fairs, and youth workshops, aiming to strengthen ties between the club, the hospital, and the wider community.
The launch took place on Tuesday, 23rd September, at Sullivan and Lambe Park where Drogheda United hosted a coffee morning for hospital staff in collaboration with Shine, a mental health support organisation.
Aoife Burns, Social and Environmental Sustainability Manager at Drogheda United, said:
“We are very excited about this new collaboration with the hospital. Our badge holds a lot of weight, it carries significance, respect, history and can have a positive impact both on and off the pitch. We want to use our badge for a force of good and what better way than to partner up with the hospital who share common goals around community health and well-being.”
Andy Cooney, Senior Health Promotion Manager at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, described the partnership as an opportunity to end stigma and support positive change:
“Today saw the coming together of two great Drogheda institutions, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Drogheda United, to stand in partnership to support each other’s initiatives and strengthen community ties. We join forces to end stigma around those suffering with mental health issues and encourage those in our community to seek help and support.”
Catriona McCahey, Assistant Director of Nursing, added:
“We are delighted to announce this collaboration that brings together two pillars of the town. We share values to support, serve and bring people together, and this partnership reminds us of the power of teamwork. We look forward to working together on many initiatives into the future.”
Adrian Cleary, Interim General Manager of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, said the move represents “a positive collaboration for our community as a whole.”
Drogheda United CEO, Rian Wogan, also welcomed the news:
“Drogheda United is a football club right at the heart of the community, and this partnership is another example of that. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital provides vital care for the people of Drogheda and the wider community, and we are delighted to be working with them to help promote some of the key health and well-being programmes they are involved in.”
