Creating New Opportunities at Killeeshil St Marys

Aim: We’re launching a new rural programme of community sports and exercise this summer, to get more people active more often!

Who are we?

Our Club Killeeshil St Marys GFC (Cill Iseal) is located at 216 Dungannon Road, Cabragh Dungannon County Tyrone. Founded in 1956, our Club is deeply involved in the GAA and the promotion of our games here in rural Cabragh, County Tyrone. The Club has 200 members, which includes 100+ youth members and and growing female club. 

Our overarching aims and objectives embody the essence of the GAA ethos, focusing on the promotion and development of our GAA sports, community cohesion, and the celebration of Irish heritage across juvenile, senior, and volunteer ranks. 

At the core of our objectives lies a commitment to promoting Gaelic games. As a GAA club, our primary mission is to provide a platform for the playing, coaching, and enjoyment of traditional Irish sports, including Gaelic football and other related GAA activities. 

These activities not only showcase the cultural heritage of our rural townland but also instil values such as teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship in our members. Since our inception, fostering a strong community spirit has been central to our identity.

Why are we crowdfunding?

We want to fundraise to deliver a new youth 12 week programme that creates new opportunities for young people in our community to play football, get fit, away from screens and develop new skills. 

Our project is all about levelling the playing field for over 100 young people from our rural community. It is a new innovative initiative that will also focus on getting more volunteers into coaching and leadership roles within our Club, such as on the Committee. 

Crowdfunding will really help us to develop this new coaching programme commencing in the summer and running for 12 weeks. The project will allow us to promote our Club to more young people across our rural community who maybe haven't played much football or sport before. We will work with the local primary school beside our Club and community groups to encourage more young people to take up football, and also physical activity such as walking/jogging through our walking trail facility. 

We will deliver a "dads and lads" introduction to GAA programme, and a "walk and talk" programme for older people via our walking track, and encourage more people to volunteer within the Club and develop into coaches (parents of our younger members, etc). 

Our 12-week youth programme will directly contribute to Sport NI’s goal of levelling the playing field by engaging over 100 young people from a rural community, many of whom have limited access to sport and physical activity. This includes outreach to those who may have never played GAA before, helping overcome social, geographic (rural isolation in Cabragh), and financial barriers, considering the cost of living crisis.

Our project targets several of Sport NI’s priority groups:

Children and young people aged 11–18

People living in rural areas

Older people (via our ‘walk and talk’ initiative)

Parents and underrepresented adults (via volunteer development and ‘dads and lads’ sessions).

Our initiative is entirely new, not a continuation of existing club activity. It includes:

- A new structured summer football and fitness programme 

- A new “Dads and Lads” introduction to GAA programme

- A new “Walk and Talk” health initiative 

- New volunteer and leadership development for future coaches and committee members

Our project is focused on levelling the playing field by providing inclusive, accessible opportunities for over 100 young people in our rural community to engage in sport. Many of these young people have limited access to regular physical activity due to geographic isolation, lack of transport, or financial constraints. This new 12-week programme will remove barriers to participation by offering free, structured football and fitness sessions, encouraging those who have never played sport before to get involved. 

We are also actively targeting parents and underrepresented adults through volunteer training and leadership pathways, creating a more diverse and sustainable club environment. Collaborations with our local primary school and community groups will extend our reach to children not currently involved in sport. By promoting equality, inclusivity, and healthy lifestyles, our project supports Sport NI’s core aim to make sport accessible and welcoming for everyone, especially in rural areas.

Our new “Dads and Lads” programme encourages male role models and fathers to connect with their children through GAA, breaking down barriers to adult participation.

Our “Walk and Talk” initiative invites older residents to use our walking trail for physical activity and social connection, combating isolation and promoting wellbeing. By encouraging new volunteers, especially parents, into coaching and leadership roles, we are building a more inclusive and sustainable club culture. This project meets Sport NI’s aims by removing barriers and making sport accessible across generations in our rural community.

It is a great time for us to Crowdfund, because Sport NI will match every pound donated up to a maximum of £5,000, so please donate what you can because Sport NI will match it! Thank you for supporting this Crowdfunder.

How we’ll spend the money raised

We want to raise £10,000 from this Crowdfunder. With every pound donated, Sport NI will match it up to a max of £5,000. Every donation is crucial therefore, and your support will have a huge impact on our community here in rural Cabragh Killeeshil, getting more rural residents active and into sport!

More specifically, we will spend the money raised on the following:

O'Neills Size 3 Pack of 12 @ £150 each x 10= £1,500

O'Neills Size 4 Pack of 12 @ £150 each x 10= £1,500

O'Neills First Touch Football Pack of 12 @ £95 each x 10= £950

Speed Agility Kit @ £125 x 10= £1,250

2 week summer coaching programme 4 hours per day Mon-Fri 2 weeks @ £30 per hour x 3 coaches= £3,600

10 week Coaching Costs x 1 coach 4 hours per week @ £30 per hour= £1,200

Community impact

Since 1956, our club has played a pivotal role in fostering Gaelic games, community engagement, and the preservation of Irish cultural traditions in our area. 

Our overarching aims and objectives embodies the essence of the GAA ethos, focusing on the promotion and development of traditional sports, community cohesion, and the celebration of Irish heritage for our 200+ members across juvenile, senior, and volunteer ranks (and many more users of our shared facilities). 

At the core of our objectives lies a commitment to promoting Gaelic games. As a GAA club, our primary mission is to provide a platform for the playing, coaching, and enjoyment of traditional Irish sports, including Gaelic football and other related GAA activities. 

These activities not only showcase the cultural heritage of our rural townland, but also instil values such as teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship in our members, particularly for our young members. For years, our Club and facilities have brought together individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Through community engagement initiatives, we aim to continue to nurture an inclusive environment where our rural residents feel a sense of belonging.

 Many of our residents suffer from isolation, particularly the elderly and those with limited mobility. Our club actively collaborates with various local community organisations, further extending the reach of our objectives. Partnerships with St. Mary’s Primary School, Killeeshil Community Centre Association and Killeeshil Runners enable us to extend our impact, engaging with diverse sections of our community.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 29th July 2025 at 11:11pm