Louth team compete in Go For Life games
A team representing Louth took part in the 2018 Go for Life Games held in the DCU on Saturday, 9th June.
The local team were among twenty four teams of older people from around the country participating in a day of fun sporting activities.
The Go for Life Games brings together almost 300 older players from all over Ireland to compete, get active and most importantly to have some fun.
Now in its seventh year, it has grown to become one of the biggest social sports events for older people in Ireland.
Go for Life is the national physical activity programme for older people, run by Age & Opportunity and funded by Sport Ireland. The Go for Life programme and the Games event demonstrates that sports are for everyone, not matter what age you are.
With 24 teams from 21 counties competing Louth faced some stiff competition on the day. What began as a one-day event in 2012 is now a yearround phenomenon, with older groups training, practicing, competing and coming through heats in their counties in order to compete in the finals in DCU.
Mary Harkin, Physical Activity Programme Manager for Age & Opportunity was delighted with the great atmosphere on the day: The Games are a real highlight of the Go for Life year and there is a great buzz around the day which reflects the build-up in each county with leagues, blitzes and weekly games happening in the local sports hubs in the lead up to the national event.’
She added: ‘It is a really collaborative event with almost 30 different sporting organisations working together to celebrate older people and sport.’
The games themselves are devised people.
All of the teams, made up from Active Retirement groups, social clubs, Men’s Sheds, sports clubs and other community groups, have been supported by their Local Sports Partnerships. ageandopportunity.ie. specifically for older