The GAA has announced the return of two highly popular initiatives for 2025, Ireland Lights Up and Irish Life’s Every Step Counts Challenge.
Both initiatives aim to inspire people across Ireland to stay active, improve their wellbeing, and come together on the dark winter evenings, and have grown to be amongst the largest community physical activity initiatives on the island.
Returning for its seventh year, Ireland Lights Up will once again see GAA clubs light up their facilities during the dark winter months, creating safe, hospitable spaces for communities to walk and socialise together.
In 2024 almost 1,000 clubs participated, bringing tens of thousands of people together to improve their physical, mental and social wellbeing.
READ MORE ABOUT THE GAA ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Ireland Lights Up will commence on the week of January 6th, 2025, and will run for 6 weeks with participating GAA clubs offering access to their walking tracks, lighting up the routes for walkers, joggers, and families alike.
Running at the same time will be the hugely popular Irish Life Every Step Counts Challenge, hosted on their MyLife app.
Back for a sixth year in 2025, the challenge offers participants the chance to win a share of €30,000 in club funding that Irish Life has made available for the ‘Every Step Counts Challenge’ donation fund. Everyone who downloads Irish Life’s MyLife app will also get rewarded for being active.
Last year an incredible 40,000 participants from over 900 clubs joined the Challenge.
Both initiatives are part of the GAA’s ongoing commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of its members and the wider community, proudly supported by Irish Life, sponsors of the Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs programme.
“The popularity of these initiatives speak for themselves, and I know how valued they are by our clubs and the communities they serve all over Ireland,” said GAA President Jarlath Burns.
“We’re proud of the role we play in helping people and communities lead better lives, supporting the clubs and volunteers bringing people together to exercise, meet new people and make improvements to their health and wellbeing,” added Declan Bolger, Chief Executive at Irish Life.
“These campaigns have grown from strength to strength and offer people the chance to get more active over the winter months at their local GAA clubs,” said Get Ireland Walking Programme Manager Jason King.
“Ireland Lights Up also presents a real opportunity for non-club members and local communities to engage with GAA clubs, which supports community integration and has a real social benefit in addition to the health and wellbeing outcomes that walking provides.”
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