Comfort Keepers Announced as Official Community Impact Partner of the GAA/GPA

The GAA and the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) today announced a new three-year partnership with Comfort Keepers, Ireland’s leading homecare provider, who become the Official Community Impact Partner of the GAA/GPA.

The partnership brings together three organisations who care deeply about enhancing and protecting social connection across Ireland, while recognising the powerful role Gaelic games, the role models it produces, and people of all ages and abilities play in shaping and strengthening local communities.

Comfort Keepers will bring ambassadors PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year John McGrath, Dublin All-Star Carla Rowe and GAA legend Pat Spillane, alongside other inter-county players, into homes and communities across the country this year, connecting Gaelic games supporters of all ages and abilities with icons of the games in the heart of their own communities.

As part of the announcement, Comfort Keepers, who have been providing trusted care to those that need it in Ireland for over 21 years, detailed initial findings from the Comfort Keepers Connection Index, a new annual tracker measuring social connection and community strength in Ireland.

The nationally representative (1,000 person) study reveals that the single biggest driver of social connection in Ireland is the ability to remain living in your own home and community, underlining the vital role that organisations such as Comfort Keepers and Gaelic games play in sustaining vibrant communities across the country. Other findings include:

• Role of the GAA in Keeping Communities Connected

• Two-thirds of adults say the GAA plays an important role in keeping their community connected, underlining its position as more than a sporting organisation, but a central part of local life.

• This rises significantly among those aged over 55 and among people living in rural Ireland, where local clubs often acts as a key community anchor.

• The Social Importance of the GAA and Community Spaces

• 68% of adults say the GAA and other community spaces are widely important to everyday social interaction, providing places where people come together, connect and maintain a sense of belonging.

• Their importance is particularly pronounced among younger adults aged 18–24 and those over 55, highlighting their appeal regardless of age

• The Rural / Urban & Gender Divide

• People living in rural Ireland are almost twice as likely to identify the GAA as a key source of social connection compared to those in urban areas (22% vs 13%).

• Men are 50% more likely than women to cite the GAA as a primary source of social connection.

• Sources of Community Connection

• Family, friends, neighbours and local shops and cafes are the greatest contributors to people’s sense of social connection followed by the GAA and other sports clubs

• Over half of adults would prefer to receive care at home if their health deteriorated rather than leave their community

Full findings from the Comfort Keepers Connection Index will be released to the public in the coming weeks.

Collette Gleeson, CEO Comfort Keepers Homecare Ireland, said:

“For so many of us, home and community are more than just a place. It is a sense of safety, identity, a source of memory and sense of purpose. Through our work, we see every day the difference that staying connected to community makes to someone’s quality of life.

By partnering with the GAA/GPA, we want to align community care with community sport because we know that participation and belonging are fundamental to physical and mental health. We want to build on the extraordinary work of our care teams who demonstrate every day that community and care are not soft concepts. It is intentional and it is infrastructure. Sport, care and connection are not separate systems. They are interdependent. If we want people to live well, they must remain visible, active and embedded in their communities.

We also want to spark a national conversation about the importance of protecting inclusive, supportive and intergenerational communities. Places where everyone, regardless of age or ability, feels they truly belong.

At Comfort Keepers, our ‘goal’ is to deliver compassion with professionalism, innovation and expertise that uplifts our clients, families and wider communities.

At its heart, we hope that this partnership shows that care is not just a service, it’s a relationship and a collaboration and one that evolves and adapts as life changes.”

Tom Parsons, CEO of the GPA, added:

“The Gaelic Players Association has caring as one of our core values. That is why this partnership is such an authentic fit from a players perspective. Inter-county players care about the people and the communities that they come from.

This partnership goes beyond a traditional sponsorship. It’s about recognising that connection, whether through sport, family, local community or through the helping hand of a carer, is central to wellbeing. The launch of the Connection Index provides important national insight, and we look forward to working with Comfort Keepers over the coming years to make a positive impact in communities across Ireland.”

Peter McKenna, GAA Commercial Director, said:

“Community is the foundation of Gaelic game. Across Ireland our clubs are places of identity, belonging and shared experience that bind generations together. Inter-county players play a special role in inspiring and connecting communities across the country. We are proud to welcome Comfort Keepers as the Official Community Impact Partner of the GAA/GPA. Their commitment to helping people remain connected to their homes and communities aligns perfectly with the values that underpin Gaelic games across the country.”

Pat Spillane, Comfort Keepers ambassador, said:

“The GAA has always been about more than sport, it’s about community, belonging and the people who make our games part of everyday life. I’ve seen firsthand how a club can be a place where generations connect, share stories and support one another. Inter-county players are pillars of their communities and play a vital role in representing where they are from.

That’s why this partnership with Comfort Keepers is important. It shines a light on what many of us already know, strong communities don’t just happen, they’re built by the people in them and the support they give to each other, on and off the field.”