Ireland Women’s Rugby Player Beibhinn Parsons was in IT Carlow recently to announce that this year’s Aldi Community Games is back, and in even better news, outdoor events will be held in person! Over 30,000 children will take part across a wide range of sports including; athletics track, athletics field, swimming, Gaelic football, soccer, rugby, cycling, mixed distance relays, cross country, camogie, hurling, skittles, pitch and putt and rounders. Each competition will be broken up by regional and national finals, with all roads leading to IT Carlow for the athletics finals in September! Aldi Community Games was established more than 50 years ago to provide the opportunity for young people to use their leisure time in a healthy and productive way and that mission is as relevant today. It provides opportunities for children and young people aged 6 to 16 years to develop active healthy lives in a safe environment through experiencing a wide range of sporting and cultural activities.
Community spirit and co-operation is fostered and encouraged and it is fantastic that in-person events are returning from now in your local Community Games Area culminating in Regional and National Finals in September, October and November! Every young person should have the opportunity to take part in sports and art in their local community and grow up understanding how good it makes you feel when you are active and healthy. Despite Covid 19 challenges, over 4,000 children participated in a series of online events as part of Aldi Community Games earlier this year!
Gerry McGuinness, Community Games President commented: “We are looking forward to seeing a lot of smiling faces back in person at the Aldi Community Games this year. Our team have worked long and hard to get everything in place to be able to provide these events in a safe manner, and we’re all thrilled that we get to see everyone again.”
John Curtin, Group Buying Director at Aldi Ireland said: “This is now our fifth year backing the Aldi Community Games, and it’s brilliant to see the organisation innovate and still provide as much fun and support for local communities throughout the global pandemic. We are thrilled for everyone that is getting to take part in the in-person events this year. Best of luck to all!”
Provisional Physical (In-person) Schedule including numbers for 2021 Athletics:
In order to safely manage the number of Participants attending events, a regional structure will be introduced, specifically for Athletics for 2021. The regions will be divided as follows,
- Region 1 – Donegal and Connaught
- Region 2 – Monaghan, Cavan and Leinster North
- Region 3 – Leinster South
- Region 4 – Munster
Regional Athletics Finals will commence in September as follows:
- Region 1 – Sep 4th 2021 Claremorris Athletics Track
- Region 2 and 3 – Sep 11th and 12th2021 Leixlip Athletics Track
- Region 4 – Sep 18th 2021 Munster Technology University Athletics Track, Cork
- National Finals – Sep 25th 2021 Institute of Technology Carlow
Pitch and Putt:
- Pitch and Putt Event will take place in The Acres Pitch and Putt, Ballinalee, Longford on 16th October
Outdoor Team Events:
- Outdoor team events will take place in University of Limerick on the weekend of October 9th and 10th 2021.
Swimming and Cross Country:
- Swimming and Cross Country / Mixed Distance Relay events will take place in University of Limerick on the weekend of November 27th.
Visit www.aldicommunitygames.ie for more information.
Pictured: L to R; Rachel Doogue, Beibhinn Parsons (Ireland’s Women’s Rugby Team), Anna Byrne, Aoibhe Murphy-Halligan, Eoin Byrne, Mael O’Rock, Cillian McAteer, Axel O’Rock
