IN Gaelic games, community involves everyone and Ulster GAA caught up with the Cavan health and wellbeing committee in relation to their hugely successful Cavan Kingspan Breffni tours for older club members.

Question: Can you provide an overview of the project?

We set out to achieve a great day out for the old, vulnerable and long-standing members of the GAA clubs of Cavan. We invite clubs to bring in 20-50 members of their clubs and communities into Kingspan Breffni Park to do our tour of our stadium.

The tour coincides with a Cavan home match in the AFL or their club’s match in Kingspan Breffni during the football championship. They arrive via a bus or car two hours before throw-in and visit the home dressing room first. Then a picture of the group is taken on the main pitch in front of the stand.

This is followed by a walk along our history wall and then upstairs to our gallery where they get a presentation from a local historian on the history of Cavan football and the ground. The group then leave and go to the stand where seats are reserved and watch their club or county play. Food and tea and coffee are provided, all free of charge. The visitors on the day can range between 20-50 and is an excellent day out for all. Great feedback has been reported to the Cavan health and wellbeing committee and the clubs.

The social aspect of the tour for the elderly has been fantastic and immeasurable.

Numerous other groups are targeted including comhaltas groups, Dementia Ireland and men’s sheds etc.

Specsavers have a similar idea, however the Cavan health and wellbeing committee developed to a larger scale and to where it is today.

Question: What were the project outcomes?

The social inclusion, the history, meeting each other and for clubs to replicate this kind of activity. This project also links in with the wider aims and values of the GAA. The feedback from everyone involved was incredible and all who attended felt better off for the day out.

Social interaction was the main benefit for the people, bringing back memories chatting to people they haven’t seen in some time, supporting their county or club, having a laugh, rekindling old contacts friends and made to feel important for a day.

Question: What will be the future developments of this project?

We would hope others would plan to do this across the country as it would be a huge success.

We believe every county board can do this in their county grounds and invite all the clubs in their respective counties over time.

Each county could bring a different perspective to this.