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Packie Bonner helps promote Cork SportsAbility

On Saturday March 25th Cork Sports Partnership & Cork SportsAbility Forum hosted Cork SportsAbility Day 2017 at the Mardyke Arena UCC. The event promotes sport & physical activity for people with a disability and was kindly sponsored by Blackwater Motors Volkswagen. This year’s event had a record attendance of 611 people.

From early morning groups were arriving at the Mardyke Arena to set up information stands and prepare for the day’s activities. Come and Try sessions in Table Tennis, Yoga, Target Games & badminton were the first activities of the day. Visitors were keen to get involved in the wide range of different sports on offer.

 

Padraig Healy Sports Inclusion Disability Officer said “The aim of Cork SportsAbility Day in to increase awareness and inform the public of activities available in the community for people of all abilities. With 28 information stands & lots of Come & Try Sessions visitors had lots to keep them active. We are delighted to expand this years event to Cork SportsAbility Week where we will have a week long schedule of activities for participants to enjoy.”

The opening ceremony was held at 1pm, the audience were addressed by Padraig Healy, Sports Inclusion Disability Officer with Cork Sports Partnership. He thanked Blackwater Motors, Volkswagen for their kind sponsorship and partners to the event the Mardyke Arena UCC. He continued to thank the Cork SportsAbility Forum organising committee for their hard work in preparing for the event. Other speakers included Lord Mayor Cllr Des Cahill, Mayor for the County Cork Cllr Seamus McGrath and Ted Owens, Chairman of Cork Sports Partnership board and CEO of Cork ETB. Special guest Packie Bonner officially opened the event and launched the new Cork SportsAbility Week initiative.

Terence McSweeny Manager of Adapted Physical Activity & Sports Department and member of the organising committee stated “SportsAbility day gives us an opportunity to share our passion for physical activity and sport, to offer each other opportunities to try new and novel activities, to be adventurous, to meet like-minded advocates for inclusive sport and to simply engage in healthy activity which is vigorous, challenging, sociable and above all fun and friendly – the energy on the day was very positive, empowering and fuel for a movement which is gaining ever increasing momentum in the region. Sports for All, Physical Activity for all and we simply want to make sure All means All!”

He continued to say “Cork people have a well-deserved reputation for loving all sports – we want to add to that reputation and have Cork recognised as the place with a truly inclusive physical activity and sports culture – every one of the 600 plus people at SportsAbility Day are playing a vital part in the growth of this inclusive spirit in our community.”

Following the official opening visitors were keen to meet with Packie Bonner and he was very happy to pose for photos and sign autographs.

By 1:15pm all activities had recommenced with Wheelchair Rugby, Powerchair Football, Modern Dance, Inclusive Games, Wheelchair Karate, Table Cricket and power lifting all taking to the court for the afternoon sessions.

Ona McGrath, lecturer in the Department of Sport, Leisure and Childhood studies in CIT and a member of the organising committee stated “how the SportsAbility day has growth from small beginnings to the current large scale event attracting over 600 people of all ages and abilities”.

This year saw the inception of an inclusive Physical Education (PE) workshop. Ona explained: “Niamh Walsh (Scoil Bernadette) and I facilitated an inclusive workshop aimed at PE teachers, primary teachers and special needs assistants (SNA). The workshop was oversubscribed indicating a keen interest in the area of inclusion and PE. Topics covered included disability awareness, case studies and practical examples of adaptations to promote inclusion. Overall feedback from the participants was very positive.

The #CorkSportsAbility Week campaign aims to increase awareness of all activities of SportsAbility & inclusion in Cork and beyond. The organising committee would like to thank Blackwater Motors, Volkswagen for kindly sponsoring this years event and also Patsy Ryan of the Mardyke Arena UCC for their support.                      

For more information on the Cork SportsAbility Forum contact Padraig Healy at Cork Sports Partnership on 021 4347096 or email phealy@corksports.ie.

 

Pitchered at the launch of SportsAbility Day 2017

Pictured at the launch of SportsAbility Day 2017 L-R Wayne Falvey (Mardyke Arena), Colm Monaghan (Irish Special Olympics Football), Alan Dineen (Irish Wheelchair Rugby), Jean Murphy (Blackwater Motors, event sponsor), Caroline Kelleher (HSE Health Promotion), Matthew Kearney (Irish Blind Football), Pádraig Healy (Cork Sports Partnership). 

 

Cork SportsAbility Day 2015 - Video Highlights 

 

Sports Demonstrations/Come & Try Sessions:

• Wheelchair Karate; Table Tennis; Wheelchair Rugby; Archery; Modern Dance; Inclusive Games; Boccia; Badminton; Yoga; Power lifting; Seated Volleyball; Boxing; Table Cricket; Wall Climbing; Tennis; Powerchair Football; Wheelchair Karate: Enjoy Tennis:       

                    

Information Stands:

• Football Association of Ireland; Rebel Wheelers Multi Sports Club; Special Olympics Munster; Blackwater Motors; Beechhill Table Tennis Club;  Cork Autism Sports Togther; Kinsale Access Sailing; Ballybrack Equestrian Centre; LeisureWorld; Nickys Dance Studio Cork; National Learning Network; CARA APA Centre; Mallow RFC, Para Cycling Ireland; Sundays Well RFC; Himalaya Yoga Vally; Rainbow Club; Cork Taekwon Do Club; Kinsale Outdoors; Dave Ryan Outdoors; Seil Blue; Vision Sport Ireland; 

Learn More About The Clubs & Groups Involved In SportsAbility Day 2017

 

• Contact the Sports Inclusion Disability Officer Padraig Healy at phealy@corksports.ie  021 4347096, 086 7947923