Go For Life Games Return with Fingal Team taking part

A team representing Fingal took part in the 2024 National Go for Life Games held in DCU on Saturday, June 8.  The Fingal Team, guided by non-playing captain and Fingal Sports Office Development Officer, Caitríona Geraghty, was delighted to be back competing against other representative county teams on a national stage. This was first time that the tournament was held since 2019 as the annual event was interrupted by the pandemic and almost 250 people took part in the fun day of recreational sport.

Organised by Age and Opportunity Active, the National Go for Life Games brings together older people to compete and be active. Most importantly the day is an opportunity for older people to have fun, by meeting and competing against their peers from other counties. Fingal Sports Office, as a Local Sports Partnership, supports and encourages such initiatives that promote continued participation in physical activity. The Go for Life Games consist of three target games Málaí, an adaption of Cornhole, Flisk, an adaption of frisbee and horseshoe toss and Scidil, an adaption of ten-pin bowling.

The Fingal team was one of eighteen teams of older people donning their county colours and participating in the National Games.   Fingal was represented by players from across the county who were selected following a series of Go for Life Games Workshops held in the ALSAA Sports Complex in May. 

Players from Baldoyle’s Men Shed, Swords ICA, Skerries, Castleknock and Blanchardstown made up the team and with 18 teams from 16 counties competing, Fingal faced strong opposition. Teams from Cavan, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Laois, Meath, Dublin City South and Westmeath were in the Fingal side of the competition and the midlanders took the title.

Age & Opportunity Active is the National Programme for Sport and Physical Activity for Older People, funded by Sport Ireland.  The National Games first started in 2012 and the very successful National Games event demonstrates that sport is for everyone no matter what age or ability.