Offaly Team Competes At Go For Life Games 2017

A team representing OFFALY took part in the 2017 Go for Life Games held in the DCU on Saturday, 10th June.  They were one of twenty four from around the country participating in a day of fun sporting activities. 

Now in its sixth year, the Go for Life Games is one of the biggest social sports events for older people in Ireland and this year’s event brought together 300 older players from all over Ireland to compete, to stay healthy and to have fun.

Offaly Team: Front Row (R-L) Jim McLoughlin, Martin Ward, John Shehan, Tony Donegan, Frances Egan, Mary Vaughan, Jackie Masefield Hall, Rose McHugh. Back row (R-L) Olivia Murphy, Kitty Donegan, Mary Daly, Paddy Murray, John Canvan, Niall Farrelly, Patrick Judge, James Grogan, Joan Walsh. Photo by Tom Clancy

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 OFFALY faced some stiff competition on the day.   

What began as a one-day event in 2012 is now a year-round phenomenon, with older groups training, practicing, competing and coming through heats in their counties in order to compete in the finals in DCU. The event is growing every year and it is hoped that by 2018 there will be teams competing from every county in Ireland.

The games themselves are devised specifically for Go for Life. ‘Lobbers‘ is a target game adapted from petanque and boules; ‘Scidils’ is a two-sided adaptation of ten pin bowling but using two skittles; ‘Flisk‘ is adapted from boccia and horseshoe pitching. These games, with clear rules and scoring systems, can be played and practiced by everyone, no matter what level of sporting ability. They are great for developing balance, flexibility and concentration. The social aspect of the Games also brings people together for fun social events with a healthy amount of competition to keep things interesting.

Mary Harkin, Head of Sport & Physical Activity in Age & Opportunity was delighted with the great response on the day:

“The Go for Life Games are a real festival of physical activity, a celebration of sport. The kind of energy and enthusiasm that the Games inspire is proof that older people can continue – or even start – to live very healthy, active lives at any age.  Those participating in the today’s event are also testament to the impact that the Go for Life programme has in local communities, empowering older people to keep fit and healthy on their own terms” says Harkin.

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.

To find out more about Go for Life in County OFFALY , contact Age & Opportunity on (01) 805 7738 or visit ageandopportunity.ie.

About Go for Life

Go for Life is the national programme for sport and physical activity for older people. Go for Life is an Age & Opportunity programme, funded by Sport Ireland.

About Age & Opportunity

Age & Opportunity is the national organisation that inspires everyone to reach their full potential as they age. 

Age & Opportunity’s goal is to turn the period from age 50 onwards into one of the most satisfying times in people’s lives, by facilitating:

• opportunities to engage in arts and cultural activities
• opportunities for sport and physical activity
• opportunities to learn and be involved as active citizens

Age & Opportunity aims to contribute to changes in attitudes and practices in relation to ageing and older people in Ireland such that as people age they can develop their full potential on three levels – the personal, the societal and the civic – to the extent that each individual chooses.

This is informed by international public policy initiatives as well as research showing that participating in society is good for individual health and well-being, and good for communities through the building of social capital. Fundamentally it is also informed by the conviction that full citizenship is the right of everyone no matter what their age or background.