PEACE IV Cross Community Twinning Programme for Sporting Clubs Networking Event

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council recently launched the PEACE IV Cross Community Twinning Programme for Sporting Clubs at a Networking Event at the Bawnacre Centre, Irvinestown.

The new programme is one of 16 projects identified in the Fermanagh and Omagh PEACE IV Local Action Plan to benefit from a total funding package of £2.8m to deliver projects across three key strands; Shared Spaces and Services, Children and Young People and Building Positive Relations at a Local Level.

The objective of the Cross Community Twinning Programme for Sporting Clubs is to invite participants from sports clubs from within the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area to come together to promote their facilities and to encourage the formation of new relationships around the shared interest of sport. The programme will provide opportunities for participants to engage with or take part in sports that they do not traditionally associate with, develop new skills and gain coaching and sporting qualifications.

The networking event provided an opportunity for representatives from participating clubs to meet and engage in discussions around action plan proposals. Those in attendance also heard from a representative of Ulster GAA on a similar PEACE IV programme being delivered in conjunction with the IFA and Ulster Rugby.

Speaking about the event, the Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh PEACE IV Partnership, Councillor Sean Clarke, commended those who are participating in the programme.

“I would like to offer my congratulations to all the clubs who have expressed an interest in participating in the PEACE IV Cross Community Twinning Programme for Sporting Clubs. I am confident that this programme will have a lasting and positive impact in terms of supporting peace building and cross community interaction across a range of sporting activities. It will help build positive relations through sport networking opportunities where members of all sides of the community will be encouraged to attend. The networking opportunities will enable interaction and encourage respect for cultural diversity.”

22 clubs from across the district are participating in the twinning programme. They include:

• Mountjoy United FC / Strule United FC
• Ballinamallard United FC / Lakeland Special Olympics Club / Fermanagh SuperCupNI Association
• Strathroy Harps FC /  Errigal Ciarán GAC / Omagh Hockey Club
• Enniskillen RFC / Coa O’Dwyers GFC / Trillick St. Macartan’s GAC / Enniskillen Gaels GAA Ladies
• Omagh St. Enda’s GAA / Omagh Boxing Academy / Youth Sport Omagh
• Clogher Valley RFC / Lisnaskea Rovers FC / Lisbellaw United FC
• NFC Kesh / Erne Gaels GAC
• Erne Boxing Club / Splitz Gymnastics Club

The project is supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Match-funding for this project has been provided by the Executive Office in Northern Ireland and the Department for Rural and Community Development in Ireland.