“Gaelfast hosted a celebration this week for primary schools in Belfast and throughout county Antrim who participated in a pilot project for the GAA’s new 5 Star Centre initiative. Since January 2019, more than 5,000 children have been involved in the initiative which aims to provide at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week to schoolchildren. In a partnership with St Mary’s University College Belfast, Gaelfast has upskilled 170 qualified and student teachers in coaching gaelic games to schoolchildren.

Some of those teachers were present at the ceremony to be presented by Gaelfast ambassador Anto Finnegan with 5 Star Centre flags for their schools. Gaelfast Regeneration Director Dr Paul Donnelly announced that one measure of the early success of the GAA’s 5 Star Centre is that 87 schools have enrolled for the phase 2 to start in September. The celebration event was also addressed by Antrim GAA County Chairperson Ciaran McCavana who confirmed the relocation of Gaelfast and Antrim GAA staff to new offices on campus at ‘The Ranch’. The new offices will also be opened in September and are part of a new strategic partnership between Gaelfast and St Marys.”