The Seán Mac Cumhaills GAA Club hosted a Community, Health, Wellbeing and Youth Forum in the Villa Rose Hotel Ballybofey last Saturday.
This event showcased 50 exhibitors to support young and old with all the information, advice and practical support you will need to stay healthy, active and well in their mind, body and soul this year.
This was a great opportunity for our Community to showcase what is offered on our doorsteps with the services and different groups that are available and there was something for everyone young and old from Physical Activity, Mindfulness and Mental Health, Financial Wellbeing and much more making it a really engaging and fun filled morning.
A hugely energetic atmosphere absorbed this event as a series of taster sessions in exercise and dance were delivered by Eibhlin from Rinca Kids Fitness, Diana from Zumba, Helena from Kangoo Donegal, Katriona from the McNamee School of Dance and Poloxing by the MIX and Pilates for children from Evolve Fitness.
“We were pleased as part of the event that Jigsaw gave a workshop to parents/guardians and other adults interested or concerned about Young People’s Mental Health. This continues the club’s excellent relationship with Jigsaw over the years and we’re delighted to have them once more,” MacCumhaills explained. “
We were delighted to have the RSA involved on the day with ‘The Shuttle’ on site which is a mobile interactive unit and its main objective is to provide the general public and other target audiences with the chance to interact with various road safety campaigns and to spread the message about the importance of road safety.”
Opening the forum, Club Chairman Terry O’Reilly extended a warm welcome to all in attendance and thanked all those who had taken time to come and participate in the day’s activities and praised the club organising committee of Maureen McGlinchey, Daireen McMenamin, Bernie McIntyre, Mickey McMahon, Pete Byrne, Christopher Doherty and Barry Dowds along with Garda Brenda Healy, Community Policing Officer, who assisted with our outreach to the various groups.
The Chairperson of the Donegal ETB and local County Councillor Martin Harley addressed the meeting thanking the club for being invited to the forum and to help promote what the Twin Towns of Ballybofey and Stranorlar has to offer the people not only living here but close to it.
Touching on the theme of volunteering he remarked that there is about two billion hours per year given each year in the country at club and community level and that this volunteering should not be taken for granted.
Kevin Mills, the Chairperson of the Donegal Health and Wellbeing Committee addressed the forum and introduced himself. He outlined his role that not only he, but the GAA plays in terms of the interaction the association has not just out on the playing pitch on a Saturday or Sunday but also in the local community as a family and the ripple effect it has.
Kevin spoke on how the clubs need to ensure the overall health and wellbeing of its members in terms of physical, mental and social, recreational and community health and learning to accept that there will be days when we might not be in good form and that life can throw things at us and how we can help to deal with these issues when that happens.
He also outlined the services and guidance on safe TALK and Critical Incident response plan workshops that the Health and Wellbeing Committee offers free of charge to every club.
Finishing his address he praised the determination of Maureen McGlinchey and colleagues in the Seán Mac Cumhaills Club to get an event of this magnitude organised and acknowledged the exhibitors who attended for giving up their time to showcase their various business or groups.
Kevin remarked how as an organisation that sometimes we are criticised and rightly so for things we get wrong, but we also need to acknowledge when we get things right. As an organisation at county level there are 40 clubs and each club is well installed in their communities and act as a family where everyone knows everyone.
Kevin finished the meeting imploring people to acknowledge all the nights and days where our young people are out on the pitches or playing games and for the volunteers coaching these young people to be mindful of the role they can play in a young person’s development.
The Seán Mac Cumhaills GAA Club wish to express their immense gratitude to the Villa Rose for their second to none hospitality and assistance in getting set up. Also, many thanks to all who sponsored prizes for the event and to all the exhibitors and the public and community itself for coming out in such great numbers, “without you, there would be no us”.
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