St Mary’s Rasharkin and Lámh Dhearg are among 45 clubs participating in Phase One of a new initiative aimed at enriching the physical and social environments of GAA clubs.

Participants for the GAA Green Club programme have been selected from 220 clubs who responded to a questionnaire earlier in the year.

The responses highlighted the sustainability work already being undertaken by GAA units and a desire to further contribute to the green agenda while future-proofing their communities and facilities.

Karol Doherty, who is leading the Green Club programme for St Mary’s, said the South West Antrim club were looking forward to getting started.

“Once again, it is fantastic for the GAA to lead from the front and for St Mary’s Rasharkin to become one of the pilot clubs for the GAA Green Club project,” he told The Saffron Gael.

“We were also a pilot for the GAA Healthy Club initiative and have seen first-hand how these projects can have a great impact within our community.

“We are looking forward to getting started in January, obtaining help from the various departments involved.”

Phase One of the programme will run for 12 months and will inform the creation of a GAA Green Clubs toolkit. GAA President John Horan said the scheme would help ‘future-proof’ club facilities.

“The Green Clubs Project further demonstrates that at its core the GAA is a community-based organisation grounded in place,” he said.

“The project seeks to support our hard-working volunteers in future-proofing their club facilities while contributing to the sustainability of their community from an environmental and cultural perspective.”

The all-island scheme also drew praise from NI Minister for Agriculture, Edwin Poots, who said it would bring different aspects of clubs together.

“I believe the Green Clubs initiative has the potential to be a real catalyst for change, harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of not just the young players on the pitch,” he said.

It draws in the club officials, their supporters their families and their communities. I hope my Department will  continue to explore areas where we can guide and support their activities.”

For further information on the programme, contact greenclubs@gaa.ie.