CLOSE to 40 inter-county GAA stars, including a group from Antrim, are just back from Kenya, where they launched a campaign to plant a million trees to raise awareness of global warming and combat the effects of climate change in Africa.
Players from 14 counties made the week-long trip, during which they launched a million trees campaign, and took part in a series of showcase Gaelic Games with local sports stars.
The Plant the Planet Games were founded by former Galway inter-county player Alan Kerins and organised by Irish development charity Self Help Africa, in collaboration with Alan’s Warriors for Humanity and the Gaelic Players Association (GPA).
Participating players, who raised over £400,000 to support Self Help Africa’s tree planting efforts, included Antrim camogie stars Maeve Kelly, Colleen Patterson and Roisin McCormick.
During their visit the GAA players staged a number of showpiece hurling and gaelic football exhibitions, and also took part in a competitive match with Kenyan league soccer team, AFC Leopards.
The group were guests at a reception hosted by the Irish Ambassador, Caitríona Ingoldsby, visited agricultural projects being implemented by Self Help Africa in Kenya, and also took part in training sessions at the elite athletics camp established and run by Cork-born missionary priest and ‘Godfather of Kenyan running’, Bro. Colm O’Connell.
“Sport has the power to bring people from different cultures together, and this trip was an example of what can be achieved when people come together with the same goal,” said Alan Kerins. “We are indebted to the players who travelled, to the friends, families, communities who supported their fundraising efforts, and to the GPA for joining us in this effort to both raise awareness and combat the effects that climate change is having in Africa.”
For further information on the work of Self Help Africa, please visit www.selfhelpafrica.org
Christy McNaughton and Colleen Patterson from Antrim with Fiona Keating from Cork on the recent GAA trip to Kenya
Womens Gaelic Football and Camogie inter-county players on the recent Plant the Planet trip to Kenya. In the picture are Maeve Kelly, Colleen Patterson and Roisin McCormick from Antrim, Kate Kennedy and Caoimhe Costello from Limerick, Sarah Tierney, Laura Brennan and Kathryn Sullivan from Mayo, Cliona O’Dwyer and Laura Morrissey from Tipperary, and Pam Greville from Westmeath
