Events

Sligo Event - September 5, 2011

The recent GAA event in the Sligo Park Hotel tackling some of the most pressing issues in Irish society has prompted calls for its replication around the country.

Entitled ‘A Sporting Chance: Tackling life’s challenges with the GAA’, the free event featured some fascinating debate and discussion on matters as diverse as alcohol and drugs use and misuse in the sporting environment, gambling addiction, mental health, diet and the peer pressure our young sports stars are exposed to.

The night was opened by President of the GAA, Criostóir Ó Cuana, who spoke passionately about the need for greater communication in our communities around some of the often taboo topics mentioned above. He also said the Association was committed to playing its part, through initiatives such as the ASAP programme, in alleviating the potential harms of alcohol and substance misuse while also facilitating discussion on other important topics.

It was organised by Sligo GAA’s Games Promotion Officer, Charlie Harrison, who is also the Sligo senior football captain, and Colin Regan, National Coordinator of the Association’s Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) programme, a former Leitrim footballer. The gathering marked the conclusion of the National Urban Project in Sligo town, which aims to raise the profile of and participation levels in Gaelic Games in urban bases across the island. Harrison is the coordinator of the project in Sligo.

The aim of the event was to offer inspiration and information to the GAA’s young players, and their coaches, mentors, and administrators, on some of the challenges they may face during their sporting careers on and off the field. The 300 people – of all ages and from all walks of life – who turned up will testify that the night achieved that aim.

The open panel discussion, chaired by TG4's Micheál Ó Domhnaill, featured an open and frank discussion, none more so than the contribution from All-Ireland winning Armagh footballer Oisin McConville. Oisin spoke about his addiction to gambling and his subsequent rehabilitation which prompted a career move into the realm of addiction counseling. He also spoke about how his involvement in sport armed him with some of the characteristics he needed to help overcome his addiction and face his responsibilities.

Sligo GAA star and All Star recipient Eamonn O'Hara, a lifelong tea-totaller, spoke about why he never felt the need to engage with alcohol and referred to the peer pressure he often encountered as a teenager to do so. He spoke about the on-going benefits an alcohol-free life has facilitated in his 18-year inter-county sporting career. He also spoke about how it’s ‘cooler’ to stand by your convictions than to give into peer pressure, and how sport helped him develop the qualities that allowed him do so.

Renowned sports psychologist and high performance coach, Caroline Currid, also touched on peer pressure and outlined the positive life avenues involvement with sport can offer young people. She also commented on the difficulty some young people have in extracting themselves from company that engages in alcohol or drug misuse, to the detriment of their sporting careers.

Leading Irish sports nutritionist Richelle Flanagan spoke about the negative impact alcohol has on sports performance and post-activity recovery. She highlighted the binge-drinking culture that exists in Ireland and pointed out that involvement in team sports can leave you more exposed to such harmful drinking. However, she pointing out that the benefits of sporting activity greatly out-weighs any such potential pitfalls.

Colin Regan spoke in depth about the ASAP programme and the GAA's aim to have an ASAP officer in place in every club in Ireland by the end of 2012. He noted that clubs are also charged with adopting a drug and Alcohol policy under the GAA's Strategic Vision and Action Plan 2009-2015. Having one in place not only helps protect GAA members but also our clubs should any situations arise around alcohol and drug misuse.

If your club does not yet have an ASAP officer or if you would like more information on how to adopt a club Drug and Alcohol policy (a sample one is available) please contact Colin Regan, National Coordinator of the GAA’s ASAP Programme, on 087-2945705, or email colin.regan@gaa.ie.