I was at the Sport Ireland Campus on Saturday for SportAbility Day, and the National Indoor Arena was alive with activity as part of a new initiative that brought together a wide range of partners.

The event, led by the four Dublin Local Sports Partnerships with Wicklow alongside them, promised a “try it” showcase of inclusive sport — and it delivered.

I arrived just after the Sensory Quiet Hour, when the DJ was kicking in. Before that, the lights were softer, the noise levels were low, and families moved at their own pace.

A dedicated sensory area off the main floor, for when the rest of the day was a bit noisier, showed the level of thought that had gone into making the day welcoming for everyone.

Inside, it was sport at every turn. Special Olympics Ireland had set up its Young Athletes programme, featuring bright mats and simple challenges that had the youngest participants grinning from ear to ear.

Able Active, who had been running ticket giveaways online during the week, were introducing families to their mapping tool for accessible activities.

Active Disability Ireland had a steady stream of visitors too, explaining how to stay involved beyond the day.

The variety of sports on offer was striking. I paused at wheelchair basketball for a chat with former Paralympic Ireland President John Fulham, resplendent in his Killester kit.

At the other end of the arena, padel was making its first appearance in this space, with curious families trying out the smaller courts and shorter racquets.

Orienteering had an inventive indoor setup, sending children and parents scurrying around with maps in hand as they raced to find markers dotted across the Arena.

The four Dublin local authorities had been pushing the message all week across social channels — Dublin City with reminders of time and place, South Dublin stressing the fun, Fingal posting “today’s the day,” and Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown highlighting accessibility supports.

On Saturday, those online calls to action were realised in the turnout, with families, volunteers, and sports bodies all sharing the same floor, all pulling in the same direction.

Sports Inclusion Disability Officers from all the Authorities had been active in the planning and on the day, fair play to them all.

We all talk up the commitment to disability participation, but making it real for families and those living with their own challenges is sometimes harder.

The numbers participating on Saturday suggest that this should be the start of a greater push towards more action, one that will fit very much within the ambition of the Government to make this a central pillar of sport.

The rest of the weekend was spent at the Aviva Stadium and the Amgen irish Open, in crowds of tens of thousands, and great drama.

Sometimes though it is in the quieter moments that the greatest change can come, and Saturday could have been the start of something with real impact where it matters most.

 

Image Credit Rob Hartnett

 

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