St Dallan’s PS, Warrenpoint Celebrate GAA Day

St Dallan’s Primary School in Warrenpoint, combined with Cumann Pheadair Naofa as part of the Club/School Link, hosted their annual GAA Health and Wellbeing Day for Primary 7 pupils on Friday April 15th 2016.

The fun packed day got off to a great start with a highly informative presentation on Internet Safety delivered by Constable Graeme Offor and Constable John Leathem from the South Down Neighbourhood Policing Team. This was followed by an interactive seminar on health and wellbeing in the GAA by Fionntan O’Dowd, Ulster GAA Volunteer Development Officer. Both seminars celebrated and consolidated the P7 recent achievement in attaining first place awards in both the NI Safer Internet Day film competition and GAA Live to Play Oscars hosted by Ulster GAA Council.

Much preparation had gone into the organisation of the GAA Day with Primary 7 pupils working on a four week GAA project linked to all aspects of the statutory curriculum. The introductory stages of the project were exhibited in the school foyer. Cumann Pheadair Naofa Health and Wellbeing Officer, Katrina Kernan alongside Club Secretary and Club/School Liaison Officer, Anne McCormack had the difficult task of judging 62 designs in a specially commissioned P7 GAA art competition to design a Healthy Club logo for Cumann Pheadair Naofa. All of these were also exhibited within St Dallan’s and in the coming weeks, the GAA Day exhibition will be transferred to Walsh’s Pharmacy.

The school canteen prepared a healthy lunch for the pupils and appreciation was expressed to the head of canteen services Mrs Johnston and the canteen staff for the delicious lunch.

Coaching was the focus of the afternoon activities with pupils enjoying Gaelic Football, Camogie, Hurling, Ladies Gaelic Football and Handball delivered by Down GAA coaches including Benny Coulter, Liam Hardy, Danny Walker assisted by Cumann Pheadair Naofa coaches Paula Howlett, Chris Rooney and Darren Rice.

During a special assembly to celebrate GAA Day, Mrs Farrell welcomed and expressed appreciation to Ulster GAA Council, Down GAA County Board and Cumann Pheadair Naofa Warrenpoint for their input to the P7 GAA Health and Wellbeing Day which is one of the highlights of the school year. Mrs Anne McCormack Cumann Pheadair Naofa Club/School Liaison Officer thanked Mrs Farrell and the St. Dallan’s staff for their commitment and enthusiasm in embedding the GAA as a holistic theme through all five GAA codes, health and wellbeing and community interaction in the school’s curriculum.