Peace building through sport in Clones

Veronica Corr

As we went to press on Tuesday, schoolchildren from across Monaghan were gathering at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones for a unique cross-community sports event ahead of a landmark exhibition game between a local Garda selection and the New York Police Department Gaelic football team.

The occasion formed part of the NYPD team’s visit to Ireland for the biennial Tom Langan Tournament, contested between members of the NYPD, An Garda Síochána and the PSNI.

The exhibition fixture also served as a curtain-raiser to the launch of Project Children: the Legacy at Monaghan Peace Campus later that evening.

Shared values

Monaghan-based Superintendent Pat O’Connell, who helped organise the event, said the aim was to bring people together through sport while highlighting the values shared by Project Children and Ulster GAA’s Sport for Peace initiative.

Around 80 pupils from fifth and sixth classes at the Model School in Monaghan Town, St Tiarnach’s Primary School and Gaelscoil Eois in Clones were due to take part in a cross-community blitz before the exhibition match.

Organisers planned to give the children as much playing time as possible on the famous Clones pitch before they met members of both teams and received commemorative medals.

Ulster GAA president Michael Geoghegan, Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan and recently retired county star Conor McManus were expected to assist with presentations, while a number of trophy displays were also planned.

Music was provided by students from Inver College and schools, families and community groups from across the county were invited to attend the free event.

Historic

Speaking ahead of the match, Supt O’Connell described it as a historic occasion and said the emphasis was on fostering friendships and breaking down barriers through sport. He paid tribute to Diarmaid Marsden of Ulster GAA for his work coordinating the schools programme.

Monaghan GAA County Board secretary Mickey Owen McMahon encouraged clubs and supporters to attend, noting that current and former county footballers were expected to help coach the children during the blitz. He also praised the cooperation between the various organisations involved in planning the day.

Connections

The event carried added significance because of its connection to Project Children, the organisation founded in 1975 by Denis and Pat Mulcahy that enabled more than 23,000 Protestant and Catholic children from Northern Ireland to spend summers with host families in the United States during the Troubles.

Representatives of Ulster GAA, the NYPD Gaelic Football Club and Project Children all said the occasion reflected the enduring friendship between Ireland and America and the power of sport to strengthen community ties.