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GAA
for ALL- Ulster Council GAA
On
June 17th an East Down Team
will be competing at half time in the
Ulster Football Semi Final. The team
initiated from a pilot project set up
alongside last summers VHI Cul camp in
St. John’ s County Down. The 25 strong
panel is made up of mixed learning
ability needs athletes from the SE
Services trust. The group are aged
16yrs and over and are both male and
female.
With ex- County Down star, Mal O’Hare
and Gerard McNulty as managers, the East
Down Gaels have grown from strength to
strength and training has changed from
monthly to twice weekly due to
popularity.
Mal
explains;
“The GAA team has evolved as a result
of a health and activity strategy within
the South Eastern Health and Social Care
Trust. This aimed to work in partnership
with other agencies and organisations to
enhance the physical health and social
wellbeing of people with a disability
and to promote social inclusion through
participation. Gaelic games are at the
heart of our communities and therefore
provide an excellent opportunity and
vehicle with which to include and
involve all those who have an interest
in the sport regardless of ability”
These young people have only recently
been introduced to the skills of Gaelic
football and have been training on a
monthly basis since January 2007 using a
variety of club grounds around the
County of Down. The application,
commitment, dedication and attitude of
this group to learning the skills of the
game would be an example to follow by
any team. Gaelic Football provides
great opportunity for overall
fundamental movement skills to be
improved.
“The emphasis has always been on
“ability” and not “dis” and the group
are both grateful and honoured to be
given the opportunity to participate and
demonstrate their skills to date on such
a wonderful occasion. We hope that you
as seasoned supporters will recognise
this and enjoy our half-time games as
much as we will. A special word of
thanks to Una McKay and the Ulster
Council for making this occasion
possible and to the Down County Board
GAA Clubs in Down and to Ross Carr and
the Down Senior Team for all their
support to date”
We
would be interested in making contact
with any other group or organisation
that is involved in the development of
GAA for individuals with special needs.
Mal O’Hare
Gerard
McNulty
Disability
Services
St.Johns GFC
SHE&SCTrust
Co.Down
Tel. 44513938
Tel.07771732594
Any other counties
wanting to develop this initiative
please contact Ulster disability and
special needs co-ordinator, Una Mc Kay
at
umckay@ulster.gaa.ie
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