Sport was often a badge for the issues that divided communities in Northern Ireland. It genuinely lifts the sprit to see how far that has changed over the course of the last 20 years.
On Wednesday night in Belfast the three main sporting associations of the Irish Football Association, Ulster Rugby and Ulster GAA brought together over 100 representatives of clubs across the region to show what can be achieved through collaboration.
The meeting was opened by DUP MLA and Minister for Social Development Nelson McAusland whose department has pumped £470,000 into the ‘Sport in the Community’ initiative which has seen the three groups working closer and more effectively together than has ever been the case.
Share, Learn, Improve
The money has funded two full time positions in each organisation with the remit to share, learn and improve the ways in which clubs can engage with their communities and reach out beyond them so that sport is used to break down rather than build up old prejudices.
“Together the three organisations and the clubs and members of each have achieved so much more than could have been done on their own,” said McAusland.
“In the past year we have had 1,200 volunteers out on the streets for the Giro d’Italia and 3,500 for the World Fire and Police Games.”
“It is not possible to overestimate the power of volunteering and what it can deliver for individuals and the communities in which they live.”
Unique Skills
“Every sport has its own unique skills,” added Guest of Honour Mickey Harte, the Tyrone GAA Football Manager.
“An occasion like this is great to gather together and share what we have learned.”
“”All of us are involved in the process of getting better at what we do, whether that is on a pitch, in the background, at home, in business or in life.”
“The people who are involved in sport are open. We focus as team players, with coaches and mentors on what connects not divides us; on how we can do something together that makes all of us perform a little stronger.”
Give and Take
“We know that there is give and take. Sometimes it’s the turn of one club in the community to need something by way of fundraising or help. We give when it is time to give and that comes back to us when it is our turn.”
The night was structured to provide three workshops, one delivered by each association and then the group coming back together to hear three case studies on how individual clubs had made a difference within their communities.
The positive energy that such a collaborative effort was able to generate was palpable. This was an opportunity to recognise the effort that went in behind the scenes away from the prize givings and the annual awards.
It was a powerful reminder of how sport can be a wonderful agent for social cohesiveness.
Across the rest of Ireland there was never the same depth of division that existed on the banks of the Foyle or the Lagan. That should not stop the lessons of collaboration being spread further than Ulster though and Sport for Business will look in the coming weeks at what might be possible in terms of pulling together similar style events across Leinster, Munster and Connacht.
