News

The programme involves the deployment of 30 full-time Irish FA coaches into over 250 schools and around 750 separate classes where they are directly coaching approximately 15,000 Primary School children.

The Irish FA teamed up with the Department of Education for Northern Ireland (DENI) and the GAA for the programme.  Funded by DENI, it is aimed at using the relevant sports expertise to help support and compliment existing current Physical Education programmes within the Primary Sector.

Ciaran Donaghy is the Irish FA’s Primary Schools Coach for South and West  Belfast.  We chat to Ciaran to find out why he decided to become a Primary Schools Coach and to learn a bit about what his job involves.

SPOTLIGHT ON CIARAN DONAGHY

Name: Ciaran Donaghy

Position: Cliftonville Centre-Back, Irish FA Primary School Coach (South and West Belfast).

Background: I have been playing in the Irish League for around 10 years, beginning with the youth team at Crusaders.  I made my reserve team debut at 16; before breaking into the first team. I then enjoyed stints at Cliftonville, Ballymena and Donegal Celtic before finally returning to Cliftonville.

Can you tell us a bit about what your job as an Irish FA Primary Schools Coach involves? It’s essentially teaching kids fundamental movement skills. If they can understand the fundamental movement skills they can get an appetite for being active.

What would a typical day as a Primary Schools Coach involve?  Usually it’s five or six lessons a day, three in the morning at one school and then two after lunch in a different school.  Lessons last around 45 minutes give or take.

What made you decide to become a Primary Schools Coach?  It’s just something I saw advertised and it’s something I would be doing anyway, I had been taking a few PE lessons and after-school activities already. I saw the post and was really interested and lucky enough I have ended up working in South and West Belfast as a coach.

How many schools do you work in and in what areas; and how many children do you work with?   I’m doing seven, in and around South and West Belfast.  On a Monday I’m in Oliver Plunkett Primary and Springfield Primary; on Tuesday, St Anne’s Primary; on Wednesday, Camel Integrated Primary and Donegal Road Primary; Thursdays, St John and on Fridays I’m at St Teresa’s.

The Programme is part of the Irish FA’s Grassroots Development Plan – how important a role do you think the Programme and the Primary Schools Coaches play in the overall development of grassroots football in Northern Ireland?  I think the overall Grassroots Programme has had quite a big impact, the Irish FA has been running it for a few years now and the rewards can be seen in both our youth and senior international teams.  I’d like to think that was down to some of the initiatives put down 10 or 15 years ago and we are continuing to build on that. UEFA has recognised the progress in Northern Ireland with a five star Grassroots Charter Award; only eight other countries in Europe have the five star Charter.  The programme is doing really well; bringing kids through the different levels, recognising their ability and then moving them on through different centres and gradually into the younger national sides.  So I think it’s been really successful over the past few years.

What would you say is the most important part of the Programme?Just generally trying to get the kids involved in sport, you hear about obesity levels going up and children being unhealthy when they are older through not participating in sport.  It doesn’t always have to be at the top end, bring them into the national team but providing them with the opportunity to play sports, some don’t get the opportunity inside or outside school. So, hopefully that 45 minute block will give them something of a taste not only for football but sport in general will lead them to be active later on in life.

What do you enjoy most about your job?  Just working with the kids, I’ve been working with kids for years now. You always get one or two coming off with a few great one-liners, you meet all sorts. I love working kids in general.

What has the Programme feedback been like from both pupils and teachers? Well the kids love it; you can tell by the way they get involved with the lesson. The teachers say that the initiative is really good in the fact they are learning something as well is leaving something of a legacy in the schools of how to teach not only football but fundamental movement skills.  Everyone I have spoken to says that it’s been really productive. Hopefully we can see more results in the next few years.