FAI rolls out Buntْs Programme through Irish

20 Apr 2007

FAI rolls out Buntْs programmes through Irish


The Football Association of Ireland’s Technical Department conducted its very first Buntْs coaching course through Irish yesterday.

Twenty five primary school teachers from Co Kildare took part in the course at Gaelscoil Cill Dara under the supervision of qualified FAI coaches and the Kildare Local Sports Partnership whose work with the gaelscoileanna resulted in the Buntus cards being translated into Irish by Muireann Nي Mhorلin, An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaيochta (COGG).

The FAI Buntْs Programme is one of the FAI's key Grassroots programmes. Aimed at primary school children and their teachers, the FAI Buntْs programme, in partnership with the Irish Sports Council, has been implemented in over 1,200 primary schools in Ireland. 

The programme provides training and resources to teachers enabling them to deliver football related sessions during PE and after-school programmes. Over 8,000 teachers have been trained and over 155,000 pupils are involved in the programme. With the assistance of Richard Farrell and Eddie Hennessy from the Kildare Local Sports Partnership, the FAI Buntْs programme has been delivered to 79 schools in Kildare which amounts to 922 teachers and 15,395 children.


Each school that signs up to the programme receives a bag of equipment that includes:
• Four different coloured sets of eight bibs.
• Two sets of marker cones.
• Two goals with nets.
• One whistle
• One ball bag
• Five size 3 soccer balls
• Five size 4 soccer balls
• Twelve Futsal balls
• One set of drill cards
• One information booklet.
• One Futsal DVD.

FAI Technical Director Packie Bonner said: “We think it is important that if we are giving courses to teachers in the Gaelscoil sector that we should deliver them through Irish and I am delighted that we are now able to provide this facility. The Buntْs programme allows us to give primary schools the knowledge and tools they need to get children involved in sport from an early age.”

Later this year the FAI will host four National Irish Bank Summer Soccer Schools through Irish in Donegal, Kerry and Galway.  They are:

Ciarrai: Cumann Peil Corca Dhuibhne, Carrig, Balile Na nGall. August 6-10.
Dun Na nGall: Ceiltigh Ghaoth Dobhair, Machaire Gathlan, July 9-13.
Dun Na nGall: Gleann Ata Aontaithe, Glaisdobharchu, July 16-20.
Gailimh: Coilte Phairc an Chathanaigh, Pairc an Chathanaigh, An Cheathru Rua, August 13-17.

ENDS:

For further information contact:

On the FAI Buntْs programme
Gerard Dunne 087-2073815

On Kildare Local Sports Partnership
Eddie Hennessy 087-9840768

On Gaelscoil Cill Dara
Sean De Paor  045 442300 / 087 2837413

On FAI National Irish Bank Summer Soccer Schools 2007
Philip Behan 086-8579439