Health & Wellbeing
Clann na nGael values of the health of it’s members and recognises the role it can play in providing opportunities, information and education on a range of health issues.
The club health and wellbeing policies and procedures are available on this page, with useful links for health and welfare. The page also has information on the role of the Health and Welfare officer.
Useful Websites
Useful Websites
Health & Wellbeing Officer (HWO)
All GAA clubs are being asked to appoint a Health & Wellbeing Officer, a key element of this role includes, ensuring appropriate policies are in place, foster a supportive and open culture in the club, ensure the club is open and welcoming to all the community, where appropriate, make suitable health and wellbeing programmes available to club members, develop appropriate partnerships and links in your locale. The GAAs strength as the largest sporting and community organisation on the island of Ireland is in providing access to our members to service providers who have the skills, resources, remit, and time to deliver on health and wellbeing.
Sharon McManus-Cooley has been appointed by the clubs executives committee to the role of HWO. She has recently completed training with the Roscommon county board and is now fully committed, as part of the overall philosophy of Clann na nGael, to implement her knowledge and skills with the clubs support while working and liaising with the County Health & Wellbeing Sub-Committee to ensure that our club has appropriate GAA policies in place and that they are implemented and monitored, and that the club fosters a culture that promotes health and wellbeing amongst all club members and, where possible, the local community.
As part of the role as HWO, Sharon will Promote and support at club level any activities organised by the County Health & Wellbeing Sub-Committee . Provide reports, as required, to the Club Executive on plans and activities, including a report for the club AGM on work completed and any plans for the subsequent year. Ensure appropriate policies and activities are implemented at club level, eg Club Drug & Alcohol policy. Work with the club Executive to promote health messages at club games and events. Encourage the club to include the wider community (parents, past players, older men etc) in any health promoting plans or activities, and will ensure adequate policies are in place in all respective areas to meet current demands of Clann Na nGael. All policies shall be evaluated annually and adapted as services require.
Where do we start?
How will we achieve this?
Steps - what to do?
Policy - identify policies/areas
Partnerships - identify organisations that will supply adequate resources
Environment - signage, leaflets, talks, philosophy and culture
Activity - training, health promotion, making information available
After meeting with the executive committee areas that stood out for immediate intervention included:
Physical Health – healthy eating for under age, educate on making a healthy choice. Introduce other activities such as walking or running groups or incorporate into other sub groups
Mental Health – mental health policy, introduction of GAA mental health charter, dealing with mental health issues that may occur, Suicide prevention, code of behaviour for members
Social Inclusion / Community – social club, older members group-men’s shed
AED & Defibrillator training for the Community
Over the last number of months, Clann na nGael football club, in conjunction with the local community, have not just been training hard on the football field but have been training individuals in Basic Lifesaving skills (BLS) and how to use a defibrillator (AED) in case of an emergency.
To date, the club has provided free training and certified over forty individuals to be competent in this new life saving skill.
Within the western suburbs, rural hinterlands of Athlone and Clanns catchment area the demographics of available AED machines was completed which highlighted a prominent black spot and after extensive fundraising and the generosity of both club and community members an AED machine has been purchased by Clann na nGeal and donated to Ardkeenan National School in Drum.
Principal Margaret Mc Carthy on behalf of all the staff, board of management, fundraising committee and parents, offered her sincere gratitude and accepted responsibility and upkeep of this vital tool. This machine is now available to all members of the community if needed. It is located prominently outside the school. A further AED machine is available at the Clann na nGeal club house.
There is also an AED at Drum church, again down to the generosity of the local parish priest and the graveyard committee a box will soon be purchased to house this machine and will soon be in place. Drum community centre is also in the process of providing an AED machine for the community.
It is with great pride at times like this to be affiliated with such a noble club like Clann na nGeal, the proud tradition Clann has of such fine selfless individuals dedicated both on and off the pitch to the community and a greater cause. Further training will be available free of charge in the club house in the upcoming months, please contact the Health and wellbeing officer for further information.
