The GAA is delighted to announce a once-off funding opportunity from Healthy Ireland designed to make community walking tracks located on GAA grounds more accessible to more people.

Open to GAA, LGFA, and Camogie clubs in the Republic of Ireland, the €800,000 funding is designed to make existing walking tracks more accessible to persons with mobility issues, such as older persons and wheelchair users. Funding may also cover the upgrading or installation of lighting designed to prolong the hours of usage particularly during the dark winter evenings.  

Healthy Ireland is a long-standing partner of the Irish Life GAA Healthy Club Programme and supporter of the GAA’s efforts to maximise clubs’ positive impact on the health and wellbeing of their communities. GAA clubs have in recent years invested heavily in the installation of walking tracks to support this outcome. Tens of thousands of people participate annually in the GAA’s Ireland Lights Up initiative, which runs each January/February in conjunction with RTE’s Operation Transformation and has become Ireland’s biggest walking intervention.   

An Uachtarán CLG, Larry McCarthy, said: “The GAA wants as many community members as possible to stay active by availing of our walking infrastructure. Such amenities require constant maintenance, with quality surfaces and lighting required to ensure they are suitable for persons with mobility issues and older people. We greatly appreciate Healthy Ireland’s support in helping clubs achieve this in a sustainable way.”

Launching the grant application process in Croke Park today, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Frank Feighan said: “My department is delighted to support the work of the GAA Healthy Club Project with this once off funding which will help to improve wellbeing at club level. Working in partnership underpins all our work in Healthy Ireland and is key to improving the health of the entire population.  This project has made a significant contribution to the Healthy Ireland agenda since it was launched.”

Tom James, Head of Healthy Ireland, added: “This is an important and worthwhile project.  It is essential that if we are to improve health and wellbeing at a population level, we need to provide safe spaces for individuals to engage in physical activity in their own communities. This builds on the work that is underway in over 450 clubs all over Ireland and we are indebted to the GAA for their commitment to health and wellbeing.”

To access the application process click HERE. Please contact [email protected] with any queries.

Healthy Ireland grant details:

The funding will be allocated via a competitive application process. It is open to all GAA, LGFA, and Camogie clubs in the Republic of Ireland with an existing walking track/amenity. GAA/LGFA/Camogie clubs that use the same facilities are required to submit a joint application. Only one application per club allowed.  

The Healthy Ireland grant funding may be used to:

Upgrade existing walking track surfaces

Improve access/usability for persons with mobility issues

Install/upgrade to LED lighting along existing walking track route

Upgrade/maintain existing walking track boundaries

Funding is not applicable for:

Development of new walking tracks

Floodlighting for pitches that also lights walking tracks (or sections thereof)

A club may apply for one of the grant funding amounts below:

Up to €10,000

Up to €25,000

Up to €50,000

To access the application process click here.

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