Clare’s Laurie Ryan and Meath’s TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship winner Emma Duggan have been unveiled as new ambassadors for the LGFA’s Glenveagh Homes Gaelic4Girls programme.
They join returning ambassadors Jennifer Higgins from Roscommon and Aimee Mackin from Armagh to assist with the roll-out of the programme in 2022.
This year, 35 clubs from Britain and Ireland will benefit from Gaelic4Girls, which gets underway with induction this coming Wednesday, February 9, followed by on-field activities during the week commencing Monday, March 14.
Since its inception in 2008, the Gaelic4Girls programme has been a massive success story for the LGFA, and it is now boosted by the presence of programme sponsors, Glenveagh Homes.
It has been a key part in delivering substantial growth in young player numbers and that momentum will be important to maintain now that Rugby and Football in particular have also targeted young girls as a source of real participation growth.
Getting the star players involved as role models lifts the participation from one that is local to one that has a bigger scale to it. Friendship and fun will remain the key ingredients in presenting children with a reason to get involved but a sprinkling of stardust does no harm either.
“I am delighted that we are announcing our new Glenveagh Homes Gaelic4Girls ambassadors, and it’s also brilliant to welcome back those that have been involved before,” said LGFA President Micheál Naughton.
“Our up and coming young players need role models and stars to aspire to and, in this regard, Laurie, Emma, Jennifer and Aimee are right up there with the very best as fantastic ambassadors for their families, communities, clubs and counties.”
“All four will bring so much to the Gaelic4Girls programme this year and I am very much looking forward to following the journeys of the participating clubs.”
“I would also like to pay tribute to Glenveagh Homes for their wonderful support of the Gaelic4Girls programme since becoming involved with the LGFA. They are excellent sponsors and bring a new dimension to the work that we are doing with this initiative.”
“We are delighted to welcome the new ambassadors in continuing the brilliant work the Gaelic4Girls ambassadors have undertaken over the past year at grassroots level,” added Glenveagh Homes Head of Marketing, Cameron McDonnell.
“We are hugely excited about the commencement of Gaelic4Girls this year and the development of new initiatives around the programme.”
