Following on from its successful roll-out in 2015-16, the GAA, Foróige, and NUIG are delighted to announce that the innovative Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Initiative has been extended to Antrim and the application opportunities opened to young GAA members aged 15-18 years were eagerly taken up.

On Friday 18th the programme was officially launched by Ard Stiúirthóir of the GAA Paraic Duffy in the Antrim GAA offices. Key speakers on the day included Barney Herron (Chairperson of Antrim Health & Wellbeing Committee), Collie Donnelly (Chairperson of Antrim GAA), Michael Hasson (Ulster GAA Chairman), Séan Campbell (CEO Foróige) and Stacey Cahill (GAA National Health & Wellbeing Coordinator). The launch was also attended by young people who will be participating in the programme and their parents as well as representatives from Antrim Football, Hurling and Camogie.

Fully supported by the family of the late Dermot Earley Senior, since 2014 the programme has grown its reach from 3 counties to 11 counties (Kildare, Dublin, Offaly, Roscommon, Galway, Tipperary, Cork, Donegal, Monaghan, Antrim and Mayo) giving over 400 young people from 200 clubs the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills and aid them to reach their full potential and in doing so to make their mark in their clubs, their counties, and indeed their country. Antrim are the first county in Northern Ireland to host this unique programme.

The initiative is a yearlong programme running over 3 modules from September 2017 to June 2018. It involves 30 hours of workshops designed to develop the leadership skills that Dermot epitmosed on and off the field. Key skills include decision making, communication, leadership, team building, critical thinking and presentation skills. In module 3 participants put their enhanced skills into action through a club or community based action project.
Those who complete all 3 modules will have the opportunity to graduate from NUIG with a Foundation Certificate in Youth Leadership and Community Action. The workshops are facilitated by a troupe of excellently trained tutors who have already received a Diploma in Training and Education for their efforts and commitment.