More than 200 current and former inter-county players will sleep rough later this month in an effort to raise awareness regarding Ireland's growing homelessness crisis.
Under the name 'Gaelic Voices For Changes', players such as Tipp hurlers Brendan Maher and Patrick 'Bonner' Maher, Waterford hurler Noel Connors, Cork footballer Valerie Mulcahy, Tyrone footballer Gemma Begley, Cavan footballer Alan O'Mara and Dublin footballers Eamon Fennell, Michael Darragh MacAuley and Sinead Finnegan have banded together to support some of the most vulnerable people in society.
The sleep out will take place across the island in various locations on Saturday, December 16th between 6pm and 6am. Donations to the cause can be made at GaelicVoicesForChange.com.
We just finished a 3.5 hour planning meeting for the Dec 16 #SolidaritySleepout. Over 200 GAA intercounty players signed up, approx 10 towns/cities. More details soon. Thank you for your support. #HomelessCrisis
— Gaelic Voices For Change (@GaelicVoices4Ch) November 30, 2017
The group has been meeting weekly for the past two months and has the aim of also making a difference regarding issues such as mental health, gambling and racism.
At the moment, the homeless crisis is their area of focus. During discussions with experts recently, they discovered that according to the ISPCC, Ireland now has the highest rate of child homelessness in Europe. Focus Ireland say homelessness has risen by 24% in the last 12 months.
Diarmuid Lyng says that he wants to use the privileges from which he has benefited to help others.
Homelessness is an issue because there are people dying on the street sleeping when there are the means, but not the desire, to house them. Not having a desire to house them is a reflection on all of us, not just our politicians. This is being branded and rebranded as acceptable and even normal by those in charge. We no longer can accept this level of inequality and injustice. I am proud that other GAA players are standing up too. We need support. And it is coming.
The GAA's community values are key to the foundations of the group and how they hope to make a difference. Eamon Fennell believes that with the support of communities, real change can happen.
Throughout my career I witnessed first-hand the joy the GAA brings to peoples life. We're very privileged as players, to have played at the highest level. We did this with support from coaches, family, wives, girlfriends, husbands and boyfriends. Without the support we received from these people, maybe we wouldn't have got to where we did in our careers. If we can provide people with some level of support and help them feel more integrated into the community, into a working career or into a sport that offers you so much potential, well then we should support where and when we can.
In terms of homelessness, it isn't just about people not having a roof over your head. It's about dealing with mental health issues, physical health and education. There are a lot of families with young children homeless. It's wrong to see anyone living on the street but having young kids sleeping in the cold or growing up in family hubs or hotel bedrooms is just wrong. This needs to be resolved urgently.
You can make a donation at GaelicVoicesForChange.com with all funds raised going to homeless charities including the Peter McVerry Trust, the Simon Communities, Focus Ireland and the Capuchin Day Centre.
Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
