Harps in Tune as They Retain Cairdeas Cup!

Harps in Tune as They Retain Cairdeas Cup!

The National Indoor Arena was buzzing on Sunday 6^th October as nine teams representing League of Ireland clubs countrywide competed for the new League of Ireland Cairdeas (Friendship) Cup. The new competition is aimed at young players with Down Syndrome (DS) and over a hundred players proudly donned the colours of their local LOI Club in a hugely exciting event which saw Finn Harps emerge as the eventual winners.

The event was a collaboration between the League of Ireland Football & Social Responsibility (FSR) and the FAI Football for All programmes and has been hailed by players and families alike as a huge success. This was the second LOI National DS event in recent months and promises to evolve into an even bigger and better programme as many more LOI clubs express an interest in accommodating players from local football for all programmes.

LOI FSR Manager Derek O’Neill said:

”Most League of Ireland clubs are now more than just a professional football team that plays on Friday night. They’re more involved in the community now delivering valuable programmes centred on health & well-being, social inclusion and education which make a real difference in people’s lives. They’ve become more relevant to more people locally and are providing new opportunities for people that just weren’t there before. I think the Cairdeas Cup event is a great example of this. LOI clubs are now more than football and with the right support, can facilitate even more of these valuable social programmes”.

Derek O’Neill, Manager of the LOI FSR

The Cairdeas Cup event itself which featured male and female players was a celebration of joy as players displayed skill, energy, enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Teams representing Bohemians, Bray, Cork City, Derry City, Dundalk, Finn Harps, Shelbourne, Sligo Rovers and Wexford did their clubs proud and also helped National DS team manager, Paul Smyth to uncover some new promising talent to add to his international squad for events in 2025.

The players also had a surprise visit from the Ireland Management Team as Manager Heimer Halgrimmson and Assistants, John O’Shea and Gudmundur Hreidarsson dropped by to support the event and meet the players and coaches.

Huge credit for the day’s success must go to the FSR Officers (many who are supported via Healthy Ireland funding) and volunteers in the various clubs, for assembling and coaching the squads locally. Although Finn Harps lifted the silverware, every participant emerged as a winner as new friends were made between players, coaches and families and new opportunities were discussed between teams to arrange friendly matches before they all compete once again for the 2025 edition of the Cairdeas Cup – a competition that, to paraphrase a famous advert slogan “does exactly what it says on the tin! “

Final Recap of the Special Champions League Festival

The largest and final edition of the Special Champions League Festival took place at Blaarmeersen in Ghent, Belgium, from 4 to 6 October 2024, bringing together teams from across Europe for an unforgettable weekend of football and celebration.

Organised and hosted by Special Olympics Belgium, with the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) acting as the Coordinator of the Special Champions League Project, the tournament aimed to promote the inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities in football. Teams representing many prestigious clubs, together with Special Olympics teams from several countries, joined the tournament, making it a total of 22 teams coming to Ghent from all over Europe to be part of this unique competition.

The event zone was set against the scenic backdrop of Blaarmeersen’s beach and lake, offering a perfect environment for both competitive matches and a variety of social activities, including a special dinner and a joyful party with a DJ, creating a relaxed and celebratory atmosphere.

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