The second annual Community Camp is being hosted by the Gaelic Players Association in the ALSAA Centre in Dublin this week.
Aimed at children who otherwise would not get a chance to attend a sports camp, the GPA Community Camp provides the participants with a unique and enjoyable activity-packed, cost-free experience.
With a team of current and former county players operating as coaches, the Camp uses sport as a vehicle to promote and encourage positive physical and mental health.
Participants this year include former Dublin footballers Jason Sherlock, Johnny Magee and Senan Connell along with current Kilkenny ace Richie Hogan, Wexford football’s Ben Brosnan, Dublin star Ger Brennan and former World Boxing champion Bernard Dunne.
Speaking about the camp, GPA Chief Executive Dessie Farrell commented: “The Gaelic Players Association is committed to promoting sport in society and the Community Camp, harnessing the strength of our players as role models, is a practical example of that commitment. It is particularly relevant that we support children who are often excluded from participation in sport and activity of this type. The GPA has an extensive Social Responsibility Programme supporting a dedicated number of charities on an annual basis but our own Community Camp is a central component of that Programme.
“I would like to thank all those who are supporting the camps along with the players, in particular sponsors Aer Lingus, ALSAA, Opel, Bus Éireann and O’Neills.”
The Community Camp is a hands-on operation on the part of the GPA whereby the Association is intervening directly in the community to help encourage children to participate in sporting activity.
Children participated in a wide range of sporting activity during the week including football, hurling, rounders, basketball, tennis, swimming, soccer and bowling and also went on site visits to the Aer Lingus hangar at Dublin airport and the GAA Museum.
Coaches from the GPA Community Camp will visit the participating schools – St Josephs Ballymun and the Central Model School in Dublin’s north inner-city – later in the year as part of a follow-up programme to help encourage sporting activity.
Further information
Contact: Seán Potts, Head of Communications, GPA 018575686, [email protected]
