GAA for all at Celtic Park

Derry's Allianz Football League meeting with Donegal on Saturday night showcased an important new aspect of the GAA in Ulster as a team of players from the South Derry Down Syndrome Group representing Derry met a Donegal team of young people with learning disabilities in the half-time game at Celtic Park as part of the GAA For All Programme.

The players on both sides thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the 2,000-strong crowd cheered both teams to the rafters of the stand during the eight-minute duration of their match. Derry County Board Chairman John Keenan praised the efforts being put in by coaching and development staff in Derry and by the Ulster Council in promoting this initiative.

“The half-time game took place in Celtic Park on Saturday evening was truly remarkable and I would like to thank parents, coaches and anyone that had any involvement in organising the match. Both sets of players took great pride in representing their counties. Congratulations to Eilish McGurk, Seamus McCorry, Terry Maguire, Donard McErlean and Christopher McErlean for doing fantastic work with these young men alongside Derry Coaching Staff member Diarmuid Scullion and Ulster Council Regional Development Officer, Paul Callaghan. I can’t speak highly enough of our Derry coaches for all the work they do within the special needs sector.”

“Back in the summer time during my school visits with Uachtarán Cumann Luthchleas Gael, Christy Cooney we had the privilege of visiting the four special needs schools that currently have weekly slots in our Coaching Programme and we witnessed the connection our coaches are making with these children. The ‘GAA For All’ model is something that we in county Derry are very much supportive of and I would commend Paul Callaghan and the Ulster Council for rolling this programme out throughout the province.”

After the half-time game a presentation of sporting equipment was made to the teams by Club Derry Vice-Chairman, Brian Og Mullan, to help enable the players to continue to enjoy Gaelic games.

Four special needs schools currently have weekly slots on the coaching programme in County Derry giving these children the opportunity to enjoy and take part in Gaelic games. Over the past couple of months Derry County Board and the Ulster Council through Paul Callaghan, have been bringing a focus on club coaches and parents who have an interest in delivering adapted Gaelic games and activities to children and young adults with disabilities and special needs. To try and address this, Ulster and Derry GAA have run workshops in Foreglen, Glenullin, Steelstown and Ballinascreen over the past couple of months.

Any club wishing to learn more about this opportunity should contact Paul Callaghan at paul.callaghan.ulster@gaa.ie.