The Irish Greyhound Board has signed up as a partner of the GAA Social initiative, providing free nights at the dogs for elderly members of GAA clubs who are otherwise isolated from their communities.
Charlotte Bronte once wrote “The trouble is not that I am single and likely to stay single, but that I am lonely and likely to stay lonely.”
The GAA Social Initiative was established in 2009 after a recommendation from President Mary McAleese and has now been rolled out to involve more than 200 clubs. It encourages clubs to reach out to older members, organise social events that will bring them together and more fully involved in a community of similar interests.
“As they grow older, men living alone tend to become more detached from their communities, families and friends than their female counterparts who are better at retaining important social connections,” said GAA President Liam O’Neill launching the Greyhound Racing initiative.
“While GAA Social Initiative Clubs cater for men and women, our members are asked to make a special effort to reach out to that hard to reach cohort of isolated older men.”
“The GAA and the Greyhound Board seem an ideal partnership, when the objective is to further progress the work of the GAA Social Initiative in tackling isolation,” added Micheal O’Muicheartaigh.
“The wonderful facilities available in many of the greyhound stadia throughout the country are very suitable for hosting social events that could easily include the older members within communities. Cooperation between the partners is the key to a wonderful new chapter in community life. Ní neart go cur le chéile.”
“The Irish Greyhound Board has always been strongly involved with all local communities associated to sport and further afield,” said Adrian Neilan, CEO of the Board.
“We continually strive to provide entertaining sports events and local fundraising nights that will bring all members of the community together. We are delighted to be in a position to partner with the GAA Social Initiative and look forward to welcoming members of the group into our stadia for nights of great racing and most importantly providing an enjoyable night out for the older members of those communities.”
The Social Initiative is well supported by charity and community groups like St Vincent de Paul, Age Action and the HSE but does not have any commercial sponsor as yet, something which may change with the increasing health and spending power of the elderly in comparison to other sectors.
