M. Donnelly Wheelchair Hurling Launched

The M. Donnelly GAA Wheelchair Hurling Inter-Provincial Tournament was launched today by GAA President Liam O'Neill in Croke Park in the company of Senator Martin Conway, Camogie President, Aileen Lawlor and both Hurlers and Wheelchair Hurlers, representing all four provinces.

Colin Ryan ((Munster and Clare), Heather Cooney (Connacht and Galway), Neil McManus (Ulster and Antrim), and Wheelchair Athletes Steven Casey (Munster and Limerick) and Daniel Jordan (Leinster and Dublin) were all on hand to launch the event.

Senator Martin Conway said, "CSO Census figures from 2011 shows that 13 per cent of the population or almost 600,000 people in Ireland have a disability." He added that "sport can be a valuable tool for bringing these people off the sidelines of social exclusion and back into the game and that attracting people with a disability into sport as participants , volunteers, coaches etc, may also have the 'spill-over' effect of bringing in parents, partners, siblings"

Camogie President Aileen Lawlor said: "Following on from our joint sponsorship agreement with Liberty Insurance, the M. Donnelly GAA Wheelchair Hurling Inter-Provincial Tournament is another great example of how we can bring our two codes closer together.

Martin Donnelly said: "I am delighted to be sponsoring both the Inter-Provincial Wheelchair Hurling Tournament in 2013 and the Inter-Provincial Wheelchair Hurling League next year and I am really looking forward to what should be some hugely entertaining games."

O'Neill thanked sponsor Martin Donnelly for sponsoring the event and said he was confident the Wheelchair Hurling Tournament and the impending Wheelchair Hurling League will make for great competition in the years to follow.

He said: "Our vision in the GAA is that everybody has the opportunity to be welcomed, to take part in our games and culture, to participate fully, to grow and develop and to be inspired to keep a lifelong engagement with our Association and that extends to both able-bodied and disabled players, alike"

"I wish all competing teams every success and I look forward to seeing some competitive action on the day and over the course of the competition".

The M. Donnelly Interprovincial Wheelchair Hurling Tournament will be held in Athlone Institute of Technology on Saturday November 2nd, with throw-in at 11.30am.

For more information about the Interprovincial Wheelchair Hurling Tournament contact Tony Watene on inclusion@gaa.ie or (01) 8363222.

Photo: Pictured in attendance at the launch are, back row, from left, Clare hurler Colin Ryan, Martin Donnelly, Antrim hurler Neil McManus, President of the Camogie Association Aileen Lawlor, Galway camogie player Heather Cooney and Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Liam Ó Néill. Front row, from left, Steven Casey, Munster, and Daniel Jordan, Leinster. M. Donnelly Interprovincial Wheelchair Hurling Launch, Croke Park, Dublin.