Mayor Visits Fingal's FAI - TY Role Model in the Community Session

Fingal County Council and Football Association of Ireland (FAI) offer a Transition Year (TY) Football and Fitness Course designed for both male and female students. This programme allows participants to fulfill their educational requirements while engaging in comprehensive football training and fitness development.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh, along with councillors Cathal Haughey, Joan Hopkins, and Eoghan O'Brien, paid a special visit to St. Oliver Plunkett’s Primary School in Malahide this week to see the Fingal/FAI Transition Year (TY) Football and Fitness Programme in action.

The sun was shining, and so were the skills on show as TY participants delivered high-energy, fun-filled coaching sessions to pupils as part of the programme’s flagship Role Model in the Community initiative. The visit highlighted the vital role this programme plays in fostering leadership, responsibility, and social engagement among young people in Fingal.

The Fingal County Council and FAI TY Programme is structured around three core pillars: Player Development, Educational Development, and Community Engagement. Through the Role Model in the Community initiative, TY students spend one morning a week coaching in local primary schools, applying the skills and values they've learned throughout the year while making a real difference in their communities.

Speaking at the initiative, Mayor McDonagh praised the impact of the programme:

“This initiative is a fantastic example of what happens when sport and education work hand in hand. Not only are these young people developing important life skills, but they are giving back to their communities in a meaningful way. It’s inspiring to see their confidence and leadership skills grow while working with younger students — they truly are role models for the next generation.”

Denis Hyland, TY Course Coordinator, also spoke on the importance of the programme:

“We see our students not just as footballers or students, but as leaders and role models in their communities. The work they do with local primary schools helps build that connection and responsibility — it’s a key part of our course.”

With over 3,000 primary school children impacted weekly, the programme continues to promote physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and positive youth development across the county.