Several GAA Clubs from Leinster were recently honoured with official ‘Healthy Club’ status.

Twenty GAA Clubs from across the province – at least one from each of the 12 counties – were among a total of 58 Clubs in Ireland to successfully participate in the project, which is backed by Irish Life and Healthy Ireland.

All these clubs became more health-enhancing through a variety of health and wellbeing programmes and initiatives including healthy eating; becoming a smoke-free club; physical activity for non-playing members; engaging older members of the community; emotional wellbeing; youth development; gambling, drug, and alcohol education; and inclusion and integration.

The impact on the clubs has been transformative in terms of improvements in health promoting activities, better opportunity to link the local community with club activities, increased membership and opening up new funding avenues all the while enhancing the health of their communities and ensuring a healthier future for everyone who engages with their club.

They can now proudly fly a flag above their grounds, letting their members and communities know that they value health and wellbeing as much as leagues and championships.

The GAA hope to extend the project to 150 clubs in Phase 3 (with expressions of interest to open in early 2018) before opening the project to all interested clubs in 2020. For more information, visit: http://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/community-and-health

Congratulations to all the ‘Healthy Clubs’ from Leinster and hopefully they will inspire other clubs to follow in their footsteps.
Leinster ‘Healthy Club’ Leaders

Mount Leinster Rangers GAA Club, Carlow

Clara GAA Club, Kilkenny

Dromard GAA Club, Longford

Castletown Liam Mellows GAA Club, Wexford
St. John’s Volunteers GAA Club, Wexford
St. Kevin’s GAA Club, Louth
Bray Emmets GAA Club, Wicklow
Annacurra GAA Club, Wicklow
St. Loman’s Mullingar GAA Club, Westmeath
Ballynacargy GAA, Westmeath
Tubber GAA Club, Offaly
Clonad GAA Club, Laois
Kilmacud Crokes GAA Club, Dublin
Raheny GAA Club, Dublin
Good Counsel GAA & Camogie Club, Dublin
Craobh Chiaráin GAA Club, Dublin
Thomas Davis GAA Club, Dublin
Castlemitchell GF Club, Kildare
Kiltale Hurling & Camogie Club, Meath
St. Colmcille’s GAA Club, Meath