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Students score for peace in
Buncrana
08.10.13
SOME 150 children from
different backgrounds have taken part in a soccer
tournament in Buncrana designed to break down
barriers to peace.
The children from mainstream and disability
secondary schools in Donegal and Derry took part in
Football4Peace funded by the International Fund for
Ireland (IFI). The football festival, supported by
the FAI and NI Football Association, was held at
Maginn Park, Buncrana, Co Donegal.
Co-ordinator Damien McColgan said: “By providing a
fun setting for pupils to mix with each other, it
has been a real success in bringing local children
together who might not have interacted before -
creating new friendships along the way."
The IFI's Mary Devlin said the tournament was a good
example of how reconciliation could be achieved
through sport. "Initiatives like this have a very
positive impact for reconciliation by promoting
greater cross-community links and indeed friendships
between participants," she said. |
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Mayor of Limavady Gerry Mullan, Mary
Devlin, International Fund for Ireland and Mayor of
Derry Martin Reilly, with winners of Individual
Awards at the Football-4-Peace event. (Photo - Tom
Heaney, nwpresspics) |
The programme is a
joint venture between Inishowen Development
Partnership, the Northern Irish Football
Association, the Football Association of Ireland,
Limavady Grass Roots and the Inishowen School Boys
League. Funding for the programme has been primarily
provided by the International Fund for Ireland under
its Building Foundations, Community Based Economic
and Social Regeneration Programme.
Meanwhile, Councillor Gerry Mullan, Mayor of
Limavady; Councillor Martin Reilly, Mayor of Derry
and Mary Devlin, Programme Manager, International
Fund for Ireland, helped with the presentations at
the prize-giving ceremony at Maginn Park. To view
more photos click here
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